THE 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH, 


CHILDREN   AND    YOUTH; 

DESIGNED   ALSO   AS   AN   AID 

TO  FAMILIAR   BIBLICAL   EXPOSITION   IN   FAMILIES, 
SABBATH  SCHOOLS,    AND    BIBLE    CLASSES. 


BY    REV.   T.   H.    GALLAUDET, 

Late  Principal  of  the  American  Asylum  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb. 


'TYJ 


PUBLISHED  BY    THE 

AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW-YORK 


D*  Fanshaw,  Printer. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  on  the  second  day  of  January, 
in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-four,  by  T.  H.  GAL- 
L&UDET,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District 
of  New-York. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface.  page    7 

CHAP.  1. — Address  to  children  and  youth.  11 

CHAP.  2. — Joseph's  parentage.  Jacob's  removal  from 
Mesopotamia.  Death  of  Rachel.  Birth  of  Benja- 
min. How  children  ought  to  treat  their  mothers.  15 

CHAP.  3. — Jacob  arrives  at  Mamre.  Description  of  He- 
bron. Joseph's  character.  Jacob's  affection  for  him. 
His  brethren  envy  him.  Sin,  if  not  repented  of,  in- 
creases rapidly.  20 

CHAP.  4. — Joseph's  dreams.  His  brethren  go  to  She- 
chem.  Description  of  this  place.  Joseph  sent  to  in- 
quire after  his  brethren.  24 

CHAP.  5. — Joseph  approaches  his  brethren.  Their  great 
wickedness  in  designing  to  take  his  life.  Sin  is  the 
cause  of  misery.  It  is  the  greatest  of  evils.  To  what 
it  leads,  if  not  repented  of.  29 

CHAP.  6. — Reuben  pleads  for  Joseph's  life.  Joseph  cast 
into  a  pit.  His  brethren  hard-hearted.  Judah  pleads 
for  Joseph's  life.  He  is  sold  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and 
carried  to  Egypt.  The  providence  of  God.  35 

CHAP.  7. — Reuben's  sorrow  at  finding  Joseph  gone.  Jo- 
seph's brethren  lead  their  father  to  believe  that  he 
is  dead.  Their  great  guilt.  The  commission  of  sin 
leads  to  deception  and  falsehood.  41 

CHAP.  8. — Joseph  sold  to  Potiphar.  His  history  given 
to  us  to  show  us  the  providence  of  God.  Potiphar's 
great  regard  for  Joseph.  Duties  to  others  to  be  per- 
formed in  the  fear  of  God.  45 

CHAP.  9. — Joseph  made  overseer  of  Potiphar's  house.  He 
is  tempted  to  great  wickedness  by  Potiphar's  wife. 
He  fears  to  sin  against  God.  He  is  falsely  accused, 
and  cast  into  prison.  His  good  conduct  there.  He 
has  the  whole  care  of  the  prison.  The  great  happi- 
ness of  having  God  with  us.  50 

CHAP.  10.— The  fear  of  God,  what  it  is;  its  benefit.  The 
dream  of  the  chief  butler.  Its  interpretation  by  Jo- 
seph. 5G 

CHAP.  11. — The  dream  of  the  chief  baker  and  its  inter- 
pretation. What  Joseph  foretells  comes  to  pass.  Pro- 
phecy. Sin  of  ingratitude.  GO 

CHAP.  12. — Pharaoh's  dreams.  He  sends  for  Joseph. 
Joseph's  humility.  We  should  not  receive  the  ap- 
probation which  is  due  to  others,  or  which  we  do 
not  deserve. 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

CHAP.  13. — Joseph's  interpretation  of  Pharaoh's  dreams. 
Pharaoh  makes  him  governor  of  Egypt.  Joseph's 
new  name.  His  marriage.  A  regard  to  truth  and 
duty  the  surest  way  of  securing  the  confidence  of 
others.  69 

CHAP.  14. — Providence  of  God.  Our  duty  to  submit  to 
it,  and  to  trust  in  it.  Joseph  lays  up  the  grain.  His 
two  sons — reasons  of  their  names.  The  famine 
begins.  74 

CHAP.  15. — The  Egyptians  regard  Joseph  as  their  Sa- 
vior. Jesus  Christ  a  far  better  Savior.  The  Egyp- 
tians buy  grain  of  Joseph.  The  famine  in  Canaan. 
Jacob  sends  his  sons  to  Egypt  to  buy  food.  7? 

CHAP.  16. — His  brethren  bow  clown  before  Joseph.  Why 
he  did  not  make  himself  known  to  them.  He  puts 
them  into  prison.  He  tells  them  they  may  carry 
grain  home,  but  one  must  stay  in  prison  till  Benja- 
min is  brought.  84 

CHAP.  17. — Joseph  affected  at  what  his  brethren  say  of 
their  guilt.  Simeon  chosen  as  the  one  to  stay.  Jo- 
seph's brethren  set  out  for  Canaan  with  the  grain. 
Difference  bet  ween  good  and  wicked  men.  To  which 
class  does  the  reader  belong  1  Let  conscience  do  its 
work.  89 

CHAP.  18. — One  of  Joseph's  brethren  finds  his  money  in 
the  sack.  All  are  in  great  alarm.  A  guilty  con- 
science. Jacob's  distress  at  what  his  sons  tell  him. 
Reuben's  foolish  and  wicked  speech.  Jacob  cannot 
let  Benjamin  go.  Judah  tries  to  persuade  him  tc 
do  this.  95 

CHAP.  19.— Jacob  consents  to  let  Benjamin  go.  Gifts 
prepared  to  carry  to  the  governor  of  Egypt.  Jacob's 
sons  set  out  on  their  journey.  They  come  before  Jo- 
seph. Their  great  fear.  Guilt  causes  fear.  The 
steward  of  Joseph  allays  their  fears.  100 

CHAP.  20.— Simeon  brought  out  of  prison.  The  brethren 
of  Joseph  present  their  gifts  to  him.  Joseph  can 
hardly  restrain  his  feelings.  His  brethren  dine  with 
him.  'Remarks  on  temperance,  and  the  duty  of  pro- 
moting it.  105 

CHAP.  21.— Joseph's  brethren  again  set  out  for  home. 
His  steward  overtakes  them,  and  charges  them  with 
having  stolen  the  governor's  cup.  What  was  this 
cup  1  The  cup  found  in  Benjamin's  sack.  They  all 
return  and  come  before  Joseph.  Judah's  confession 
of  their  guilt.  Why  did  he  make  itl  111 


CONTENTS.  5 

Page. 

CHAP.  22. — Joseph  still  keeps  his  brethren  in  suspense. 
Remarks  on  his  conduct.  His  reply  to  Judah.  Ju- 
dah's  expostulation.  116 

CHAP.  23. — Joseph  makes  himself  known  to  his  breth- 
ren. His  address  to  them.  His  forgiveness  of  them. 
The  duty  of  forgiveness.  Has  the  reader  this 
spirit?  '  121 

CHAP.  24. — Pharaoh  and  his  household  glad  to  hear  that 
the  brethren  of  Joseph  are  come.  Pharaoh  tells 
Joseph  to  invite  his  father  and  all  his  family  to 
come  to  Egypt.  Joseph  furnishes  them  with  things 
necessary  for  their  removal.  His  parting  advice 
to  them.  Peace-making.  127 

CHAP.  25. — His  sons,  on  their  arrival,  tell  their  father 
that  Joseph  is  alive.  Jacob's  joy.  They  all  set  out 
for  Egypt.  They  stop  at  Beer-sheba.  An  interest- 
ing spot,  and  why.  God's  promise  to  Jacob.  Their 
arrival  in  Egypt.  131 

CHAP.  26. — Joseph  meets  his  father  in  Goshen.  He  pre- 
sents five  of  his  brethren  to  Pharaoh,  who  grants 
them  leave  to  dwell  in  Goshen.  Joseph  presents  his 
father  to  Pharaoh.  What  Jacob  says.  Life  short. 
What  is  death  1  Is  the  reader  prepared  to  die  ?  135 

CHAP.  27. — Jacob  and  his  family  settled  in  Goshen. 
God's  goodness  to  them.  His  goodness  to  the  read- 
er. Is  the  reader  grateful  to  God  1  143 

CHAP.  28. — The  Egyptians  give  their  cattle  to  Joseph 
for  food.  They  are  again  in  want,  and  give  them- 
selves and  their  land.  He  gives  them  seed  to  sow. 
A  perpetual  law  that  one-fifth  of  all  the  produce 
shall  be  the  king's.  Remarks  on  the  conduct  of 
Joseph.  147 

CHAP.  29. — Jacob  drawing  near  the  close  of  life.  Joseph 
visits  him.  What  is  an  oath  1  Its  solemn  obligation 
explained.  Jacob  requires  Joseph  to  swear  that  he 
will  bury  the  body  of  his  father  in  the  cave  of  Mach- 
pelah.  Joseph  takes  an  oath  to  do  this.  152 

CHAP.  30. — Joseph  goes  to  be  with  his  father  when  he 
dies.  He  takes  his  sons  with  him.  Jacob  considers 
them  as  his  own  children.  He  blesses  them.  Ex- 
planation of  this  blessing.  157 

CHAP.  31. — Conclusion  of  Jacob's  blessing  on  the  sons 
of  Joseph.  Joseph's  portion.  Jacob's  prophecy,  and 
blessing  his  sons.  His  death.  Does  the  reader  wish 
to  die  as  Jacob  did  1  163 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


CHAP.  32. — Joseph's  grief  at  his  father's  death.  He  or- 
ders the  body  to  be  embalmed.  Mourning  for  Jacob. 
His  funeral.  He  is  buried  in  the  cave  of  Machpe- 
lah.  The  fear  of  Joseph's  brethren  lest  he  should 
punish  them.  Pains  of  a  guilty  conscience.  168 

CHAP.  33.— The  brethren  of  Joseph  implore  his  forgive- 
ness. He  is  very  kind  to  them,  and  allays  all  their 
fears.  Their  obligations  of  gratitude  to  him  and  to 
God.  Has  the  reader  done  wrong  to  others  1  How 
does  he  feel  about  it  1  172 

CHAP.  34. — Joseph  near  to  death.  He  makes  his  breth- 
ren swear  that  his  body  shall  be  buried  in  Canaan ; 
whither  he  assures  them  the  Israelites  shall  go.  He 
dies,  and  his  body  is  embalmed.  Why  did  he  direct 
his  body  to  be  kept  in  Egypt  till  the  Israelites  should 
go  to  Canaan  1  Wonderful  providence  of  God.  178 

CHAP.  35. — The  character  of  Joseph.  His  strong  faith 
in  God.  This  the  foundation  of  all  real  excellence 
of  character.  Has  the  reader  this  faith  in  God  ?  183 

CHAP.  36. — Joseph's  affection  and  duti  fulness  to  his 
father.  These  traits  of  character,  if  real  and  per- 
manent, must  grow  out  of  faith  in  God.  How  does 
the  reader  treat  his  parents  1  Joseph  was  kind  and 
affectionate  to  his  brethren.  Faith  in  God  and 
Christ  produces  love  to  others.  Has  the  reader 
this  love  1  188 

CHAP.  37.— Joseph's  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his  du- 
ties. Instances  of  it.  It  grows  out  of  his  faith  in 
God.  Has  the  reader  the  same  fidelity  growing  out 
of  the  same  faith  1  193 

CHAP.  38. — Joseph's  resolution  in  resisting  temptation. 
It  grows  out  of  his  faith  in  God.  The  reader  has 
his  temptations.  How  to  get  strength  to  overcome 
them.  Joseph's  dependence  on  God,  and  submission 
to  his  will.  These  grow  out  of  his  faith  in  God. 
Has  the  reader  this  dependence  and  submission  ?  197 

CHAP.  39. — Joseph's  humility.  Proofs  of  it.  Humility 
in  good  men  grows  out  of  their  faith  in  God.  Has 
the  reader  this  humility  1  Without  it  we  can  have 
no  interest  in  Christ.  202 

CHAP.  40.— Joseph  had  general  benevolence  of  charac- 
ter. This  grew  out  of  his  faith  in  God.  The  read- 
er can  do  good  in  many  ways.  Has  he  a  desire  to 
do  good'?  Does  this  desire  lead  to  action.  Where 
there  is  no  such  desire  and  conduct  there  is  great 
guilt  and  danger.  206 


PREFACE. 


"  Do,  tell  me  a  story,"  said  a  smiling  little  boy,  who  was 
sitting  in  his  father's  lap — "  do,  father,  tell  me  a  story." 

So,  his  father  told  him  one ;  and  again  the  request  was 
made — "  do,  father,  tell  me  another  pretty  story,  and  a  long 
one  too." 

The  story  was  told,  and  Robert  listened  to  it  with  the 
deepest  attention  and  interest. 

"  Do,  do,  father,  tell  me  one  more  story — just,  one  more, 
and  I  will  not  ask  you  again." 

11  My  son,"  said  his  father,  "  I  have  told  you  two  stories; 
and  now  I  wish  to  talk  with  you  a  little  about  that  verse 
in  the  Bible  which  you  repeated  to  me  this  morning." 

Robert  continued  to  beg  for  one  more  story. 

"No,  my  son,"  said  his  father,  " I  have  no  more  stories 
to  tell  you  now.  Sometimes  I  must  talk  to  you  about  God, 
and  our  Savior,  and  what  we  must  do,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
pared, when  we  die,  to  go  to  heaven,  and  be  good  and  happy 
there,  for  ever," 


8  PREFACE. 

In  saying  this  his  countenance  became  serious,  though 
his  look  was  mild  and  pleasant ;  and  his  voice  had  a  tone  of 
solemnity,  without  being  harsh  or  forbidding. 

Robert  perfectly  understood  it.  He  knew  that  it  was  re- 
quired of  him  to  be  attentive.  He  also  became  serious,  and 
listened  to  the  instructions  of  his  father  with  an  interest 
which  showed  how  much  parental  authority,  mingled  with 
kindness,  can  effect,  when  the  child  is  accustomed  to  reve- 
rence this  authority,  and  to  love  this  kindness. 

Did  the  father  do  right  7 

"  Certainly,"  you  say ;  "  it  is  important  that  children 
should  be  taught,  at  proper  times,  to  listen  to  instruction, 
and  to  acquire  the  habit  of  patient  and  serious  attention  to 
religious  truth.  It  will  not  do  to  be  always  entertaining  them 
with  amusing  stories." 

Well,  if  it  is  important,  sometimes,  thus  to  talk  to  children 
— it  is  equally  so,  thus  to  write  for  them.  If  they  ought  to  ac- 
quire the  habit  of  listening  attentively  to  the  good  instruction 
which  is  given  to  them  in  conversation,  at  home — or  in  the 
Sabbath  school,  and  in  the  church ;  it  is  equally  important 
that  they  should  acquire  a  similar  habit  of  reading  attentive- 
ly such  books  as  are  prepared  to  teach  them  their  duty  to 
God,  to  their  fellow-men,  and  to  themselves. 

If  they  read  none  but  storybooks,  intended  almost  entirely 


PREFACE.  U 

to  entertain  them ;  or,  if  they  read  so  many  of  these  books 
as  to  dislike  to  read  those  of  a  more  serious  and  instructive 
kind — then  there  is  very  great  danger  of  their  acquiring  a 
strong  dislike  to  the  reading  of  the  Bible. 

For  the  Bible  is  very  far  from  being  a  book  of  mere  enter- 
tainment. It  is  full,  indeed,  of  interesting  things ;  but  to  un- 
derstand them,  and  to  get  good  from  them,  requires  patient 
thinking  and  serious  feeling. 

Let  parents  and  teachers  beware — lest,  by  indulging  chil- 
dren too  much  in  the  perusal  of  mere  books  of  amusement, 
they  acquire  such  a  fondness  for  fiction,  that  it  will  be  diffi- 
cult for  them  to  read  any  thing  that  demands  patient  and 
continued  attention,  and  tends  to  produce  serious  thoughts 
and  feelings. 

Should  this  lead  to  their  considering  it  an  irksome  and 
disagreeable  task  to  sit  down,  at  suitable  times,  to  the  faith- 
ful perusal  of  the  sacred  Scriptures — what  an  error  in  their 
education  has  been  committed — what  a  tremendous  evil  has 
been  incurred ! 

Books,  surely,  ought  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  children 
•and  youth — many  more  than  are  now  in  circulation — which 
will  require  some  effort  of  mind,  on  their  part; — which  will 
demand  more  or  less  of  continued,  patient,  and  serious 
thought. 


10  PREFACE. 

Truth,  too — above  all,  the  fads  of  the  Bible — should  form 
a  considerable  part  of  a  child's  religious  reading,  instead  of 
that  mass  of  fictitious  narrative  which,  at  present,  so  greatly 
abounds. 

Grant  that  all  fiction  is  not  to  be  discarded ;  yet  there  are 
limits,  surely,  to  its  use,  in  the  religious  instruction  of  our 
children  and  youth.  Its  influence  is,  just  now,  immense.  It 
sways  the  minds  of  the  rising  generation,  who  have  access 
to  books,  to  a  vast  extent.  It  is  molding  their  intellectual 
habits.  It  is  forming  their  taste.  It  is  influencing  their 
moral  feelings.  It  is  training  them  up,  in  too  many  instan- 
ces, to  a  loose,  desultory,  luxurious,  and  disconnected  kind 
of  reading,  which  will  render  to  them,  in  maturer  life,  all 
our  standard  works  of  religious  truth,  by  which  the  souls  of 
English  and  American  Christians,  of  earlier  days,  were  nur- 
tured to  deep  thought  and  a  vigorous  faith — insipid,  irk- 
some, revolting. 

In  this  volume,  and  also  in  The  History  of  Jonah,  not 
long  since  published,  the  author  has  made  a  humble  at- 
tempt to  do  something  to  remedy  the  evils  to  which  he  has 
alluded. 

The  success  of  this  attempt  awaits  the  decision  of  the  re- 
ligious public. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Address  to  children  and  youth. 

ONE  of  the  most  interesting  and  instructive  histo- 
ries in  the  Bible  is  that  of  JOSEPH.  Children  and 
youth  have  always  heen  fond  of  reading  it.  I  wish 
to  tell  it  to  them  in  this  book  in  such  a  way  that  they 
may  get  good  from  it. 

You  have  read  many  books,  my  dear  children, 
merely  to  gel  amusement  from  them.  You  have  liked 
the  entertaining  stories  which  they  contained.  But 


12  HISTORY    OF     JOSEPH. 

you  must  read  books  for  instruction  also.  For  you 
need  to  learn  what  is  useful ;  and  what  will  teach 
you  how  yon  may  grow  up  to  do  good  in  the  world, 
and  be  prepared  to  be  holy  and  happy,  for  ever,  in 
heaven. 

You  play  sometimes.  What  fine  sport  you  have! 
I  should  like  to  see  you  playing.  It  does  you  good* 
It  makes  you  cheerful  and  happy.  It  gives  you 
healthful  exercise,  and  helps  you  to  grow  strong  and 
active. 

But  it  will  not  do  to  play  too  much.  Something 
else  must  be  done.  You  must  get  ready  to  be  useful 
as  you  grow  up  to  be  men  and  women.  Boys  and 
girls  who  play  all  the  time,  and  do  nothing  but  amuse 
themselves,  will  dislike  all  kinds  of  labor  as  they 
grow  up.  They  will  become  idle  and  useless  peo- 
ple ;  doing  no  good  to  others,  and  getting  none 
themselves. 

It  is  just  so  in  your  reading.  If  you  read  only 
storybooks,  to  be  amused  by  them,  you  will  become 
so  fond  of  this  kind  of  reading  that  you  will  dislike 
instructive  and  useful  books.  You  will  think  it  a 
hard  task  to  read  them;  just  as  a  child  who  plays 
all  the  time  thinks  it  very  disagreeable  to  do  any 
kind  of  work.  Your  minds  will  become  weak.  You 
will  be  able  to  think  scarcely  at  all  about  good  and 
important  things.  And  what  will  be  the  worst  evil— 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH*  13 

the  Bible,  the  best  of  all  books,  will  seem  to  you  a 
very  dull  and  tedious  book  indeed. 

I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  you  should  never  read 
any  story  books  that  will  amuse  you  ;  though  I  fear 
many  children  read  such  kind  of  books  a  great  deal 
more  than  is  good  for  them.  But  what  I  mean  is, 
that  you  should  be  more  fond  of  reading  books  that 
are  useful  and  instructive ;  books  that  will  make  it 
necessary  for  you  to  think  when  you  read  them — 
sometimes  to  think  hard,  so  that  you  may  understand 
clearly  what  you  read,  and  get  good  from  it.  Espe- 
cially should  you  be  fond  of  reading  those  books 
which  are  written  to  lead  you  to  think  about  your 
souls,  and  what  you  must  do  to  be  saved. 

Perhaps  some  of  you,  my  dear  children,  will  say 
that  this  is  too  long  and  sober  an  introduction.  You 
may  feel  very  impatient  to  have  the  history  of  Joseph 
begin. 

This  shows  that  there  is  some  reason  for  my 
thinking  that  you  have  been  so  much  in  the  habit 
of  reading  for  mere  amusement,  that  you  cannot  bear 
to  read  any  thing  of  a  serious  and  instructive  kind, 
even  for  four  or  five  minutes. 

If  this  is  really  so,  you  ought  immediately  to  en- 
deavor to  take  an  interest  in  that  kind  of  reading 
which  will  require  you  to  be  fixed  in  attention,  pa,' 
tient  in  thinking,  and  serious  in  feeling. 

L.  j.  2 


14  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

If  any  of  you  are  unwilling  to  do  this,  perhaps 
you  had  better  shut  up  the  book,  and  not  read  any 
farther.  For,  although  there  are  a  great  many  things 
in  the  history  of  Joseph  which  are  very  interesting, 
and  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  present  in  an  agreea- 
ble and  entertaining  manner  to  my  young  readers, 
still  I  shall,  all  the  while,  mingle  with  these  things 
thoughts  of  an  instructive  and  useful  kind. 

Sometimes  I  shall  go  farther  than  this.  I  shall 
be  very  solemn  and  serious  in  what  I  say  to  you.  I 
shall  talk  to  you  very  plainly  about  your  being  sin- 
ners ;  and  about  your  guilt  and  danger ;  and  about 
the  need  of  your  repentance,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  of  your  hearts  being  changed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  and  about  other  things  like  these, 
which  it  is  very  important  for  you  to  know,  to  be- 
lieve, and  to  feel. 

If  I  thought  that  you  were  all  quite  willing,  my 
dear  children,  to  listen  attentively  to  such  things, 
while  we  go  along  in  the  history  of  Joseph,  with  how 
much  pleasure  I  should  sit  down,  day  after  day,  to 
write  it ! 

Pray  that  you  may  feel  thus  willing ;  and  I  will 
add  my  prayer  to  yours. 

May  God  enable  me  so  to  write  this  book,  and 
you  so  to  read  it,  that,  with  the  blessing  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  it  may  do  good  to  your  souls  ! 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  15 


CHAPTER   II. 

Joseph's  parentage. — Jacob's  removal  from  Mesopotamia. — 
Death  of  Rachel.— Birth  of  Benjamin.— How  children 
ought  to  treat  their  mothers. 

JOSEPH  was  the  son  of  Jacob.  Isaac  was  his 
grandfather,  and  Abraham  his  great  grandfather. 
It  was  no  small  privilege  to  him  to  have  such  an- 
cestors. For  they  were  pious  men,  and  all  in  their 
families  were  taught  what  they  must  do  to  obtain 
the  friendship  of  God,  and  be  blessed  of  him. 

Joseph  was  born  in  Mesopotamia,  more  than  three 
thousand  five  hundred  years  ago.  His  father  had 
lived  in  that  country  about  fourteen  years,  with  La- 
ban,  a  rich  husbandman,  and  assisted  him  in  taking 
care  of  his  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats. 

Laban  was  the  uncle  of  Jacob,  being  the  brother 
of  Rebekah,  Jacob's  mother.  He  lived  in  a  very  fer- 
tile country,  between  two  fine  rivers,  the  Tigris  and 
Euphrates.  He  owned  a  great  deal  of  land,  and  large 
herds  and  flocks,  and  had  many  servants  to  work 
for  him. 

Jacob  married  the  two  daughters  of  Laban,  Leah 
and  Rachel ;  the  latter  of  whom  was  the  mother  of 
Joseph.  Beside  these,  he  had  two  other  wives — Bil- 
hah  and  Zilpah. 


16  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

God  permitted  men,  at  that  time,  to  have  more  than 
one  wife.  He  had  good  reasons  for  doing  so ;  though, 
at  the  present  time  it  is  forbidden,  and  would  be  a 
great  sin. 

Jacob  had  a  large  family  while  he  was  living  with 
Laban.  I  think,  it  will  be  well  for  you  to  remember 
the  names  of  his  children.  For  his  sons,  in  their 
turn,  were  the  fathers  of  children  ;  and  they,  of  other 
children ;  and  so  on,  until  they  made,  altogether,  a 
great  people,  called  Israelites,  and  became  a  power- 
ful nation  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  They  were  called 
Israelites  because  they  were  descended  from  Jacob, 
whose  other  name  was  Israel ;  and  his  twelve  sons 
are  called  the  twelve  patriarchs. 

The  names  of  Jacob's  children,  in  the  order  of 
their  ages,  Avere  the  following : — Reuben,  Simeon, 
Levi,  Judah,  Dan,  Naphtali,  Gad,  Ashur,  Issachar, 
Zebulun,  (Dinah,  a  daughter)  Joseph,  and  Benja- 
min. 

Rachel  was  the  mother  of  Joseph  and  Benjamin. 
All  of  them  were  born  in  Mesopotamia,  except  Ben- 
jamin, of  whom,  before  long,  I  shall  tell  you  some- 
thing more  particularly. 

When  Joseph  was  about  six  years  old,  and  Reu- 
ben, the  eldest  son,  about  nineteen,  their  father  con- 
cluded to  remove,  with  his  family,  from  Mesopota- 
mia, and  return  to  Canaan,  his  native  land.  His  aged 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  17 

father,  Isaac,  was  still  living  there.  It  was  a  fertile 
and  pleasant  country;  and  Jacob  thought  that  it 
would  be  better  for  himself  and  his  family  to  go 
there,  than  to  remain  where  he  was.  Besides,  God 
had  told  him,  in  a  dream,  to  do  it ;  and  he  knew 
that,  in  obeying  God,  he  and  his  wives  and  chil- 
dren would  be  in  the  way  of  their  duty,  and  under 
the  protection  of  the  Almighty. 

It  was  a  long  and  difficult  journey,  and  must  have 
required  a  great  deal  of  resolution  and  enterprise. 
For  Jacob  was,  now,  a  man  of  large  property.  He 
had  goods  of  various  kinds ;  many  camels  and  asses ; 
and  numerous  herds  of  cattle,  and  flocks  of  sheep 
and  goats.  To  remove  all  these,  with  his  wives  and 
children,  his  man-servants  and  maid-servants,  was 
truly  a  laborious  undertaking.  But  God  had  com- 
manded it ;  and  in  obeying  his  commands,  remem- 
ber, my  dear  children,  that  no  difficulties  or  dangers, 
however  great,  should  weaken  our  resolution,  or 
make  us  afraid.  Who  needs  to  fear  when  he  is  in 
the  path  of  duty,  and  when  the  Almighty  goes  be- 
fore him,  and  directs  his  way  ! 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the  setting  out  of 
Jacob  on  his  journey,  nor  the  particulars  of  what 
happened  to  him  before  it  was  ended.  You  can  read 
about  it,  in  the  Bible. 

One  thing,  however,  I  cannot  pass  over  without 
L.  j.  2* 


18  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

mentioning;  for,  young  as  he  was,  it  must  have  af- 
fected Joseph  very  much,  and  filled  his  bosom  with 
the  deepest  sorrow. 

It  was  five  years  after  leaving  Mesopotamia,  hav- 
ing stopped  at  one  place  and  another  for  a  longer  or 
shorter  space  of  time,  that  Jacob  was  approaching 
Ephrath,  and  had  come  very  near  the  town,  when 
Rachel  was  taken  suddenly  sick  and  died.  Just  be- 
fore she  died  Benjamin  was  born  ;  Joseph  being 
about  eleven  years  old.  She  was  buried  in  the  way 
to  Ephrath,  afterward  called  Bethlehem,  and  her  hus- 
band built  a  monument  of  stone  over  her  grave. 

Joseph  was  just  at  the  age  to  feel  the  loss  of  his 
mother  most  deeply  ;  and  no  doubt,  in  the  bitterness 
of  his  grief,  he  wept  and  mourned  over  her ;  and 
thought  of  all  her  tender  care  of  him ;  and  felt  how 
sad  it  would  be  for  him  to  see  her  face,  and  hear  her 
voice  of  kindness  no  more. 

He  loved  dearly  his  little  brother  Benjamin,  who 
was  born  under  these  afflicting  circumstances  ;  and 
the  strength  of  his  attachment  you  will  see  in  a  sub- 
sequent period  of  his  life. 

My  dear  children,  do  you  know  the  value  of  a 
good  and  kind  mother  ?  It  is  worth  more  to  a  child 
than  tens  of  thousands  of  gold  and  silver.  Do  you 
.know  the  value  of  a  pious  mother,  who  prays  for  and 
with  her  child,  and  endeavors  to  guide  its  soul  to 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  19 

heaven  ?  It  is  worth  more  to  her  child  than  the 
whole  world,  with  all  that  it  contains. 

Have  you  such  a  mother  ?  O !  love  her ;  obey 
her ;  listen  to  her  kind  advice ;  remember  all  the 
good  instructions  she  has  given  you ;  do  all  you  can 
to  make  her  happy. 

Have  you  had  such  a  mother?  Think  of  her 
with  the  warmest  affection.  Keep  near  to  your  heart 
the  memory  of  all  she  did  for  you ;  of  all  her  pray- 
ers ;  her  admonitions  ;  her  warnings ;  her  reproofs. 

How  are  you  treating  such  a  mother,  if  she  is  still 
living,  or  her  memory,  if  she  is  dead  ?  Can  it  be  that 
one  undutiful,  ungrateful,  wicked  child  shall  read 
these  pages,  and  while  stopping  for  a  moment,  with 
Joseph,  at  the  tomb  of  Rachel — not  pause,  and  con- 
sider, and  mourn  over  that  wickedness  of  heart 
which  can  lead  a  son  or  a  daughter  to  forget  and  des- 
pise the  prayers,  the  entreaties,  the  tears  of  a  pious 
and  affectionate  mother  ? 

If  living — how  does  such  conduct  wring  her  soul 
with  anguish  ?  If  dead — can  you  endure  the  recol- 
lection of  that  look  and  voice  of  love,  and  tender- 
ness, and  pity,  and  not  be  melted  into  deep  repent- 
ance before  God  ? 


20  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Jacob  arrives  at  Mamre. — Description  of  Hebron. — Joseph's 
Character. — Jacob's  affection  for  him. — His  brethren  envy 
him. — Sin,  if  not  repented  of,  increases  rapidly. 

NOT  long  after  this,  Jacob  arrived  at  Mamre,  and 
found  his  aged  father,  Isaac,  still  alive,  although  he 
was  more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  years  old.  It 
must  have  been  a  very  happy  meeting ;  and  Joseph, 
I  dare  say,  was  very  glad  to  see  his  grandfather,  of 
whom  he  had  heard  much,  and  also  the  pleasant 
place  in  which  he  lived. 

This  place  was  about  twenty-seven  miles  south  of 
Jerusalem,  and  was  afterward  called  Hebron.  Near 
it,  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  which  Abraham  pur- 
chased for  that  purpose,  both  himself  and  his  wife 
Sarah  were  buried ;  and  in  the  same  cave  Isaac, 
when  he  died,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
years,  was  laid  by  the  side  of  his  father  and  mother. 

Travellers,  who  have  not  long  since  visited  that 
part  of  Palestine,  tell  us  that  Hebron  is  situated  on 
the  slope  of  a  mountain,  in  a  fertile  valley ;  and  that 
the  sides  of  the  neighboring  hills  are  covered  with 
the  oak,  the  arbutus,  the  fir,  and  a  variety  of  flower- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  21 

ing  shrubs.  The  adjoining  country  is  better  cultivat- 
ed than  that  near  Jerusalem.  The  town  has  a  strong 
castle ;  abundance  of  provisions ;  a  number  of  shops 
and  neat  houses  ;  and  about  four  hundred  families 
of  Arabs,  beside  a  hundred  Jewish  houses. 

It  was,  undoubtedly,  a  flourishing  and  fertile  coun- 
try in  Isaac's  and  Jacob's  time,  or  they  would  not 
have  remained  there  with  such  large  families,  and 
such  numerous  herds  and  flocks,  as  they  had. 

A  principal  part  of  Jacob's  business  consisted  in 
taking  care  of  his  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep 
and  goats.  His  sons  assisted  him  in  doing  this ;  and 
the  first  thing  which  we  read  in  the  Bible,  of  any 
occupation  in  which  Joseph  was  engaged,  is,  that  he 
was  feeding  the  flock  with  his  brethren,  the  sons  of 
Bilhah  and  Zilpah. 

He  was  then  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  be- 
loved by  Jacob  more  than  any  other  of  his  children  ; 
for  he  was  the  son  of  his  old  age,  being  born  when 
Jacob  was  ninety  years  old.  Probably,  too,  Joseph 
was  a  youth  who  conducted  well,  and  showed  a  de- 
gree of  wisdom  that  was  remarkable  for  one  of  his 
years.  His  brothers,  with  the  exception  of  Benjamin, 
who  was  yet  quite  a  boy,  seem  not  to  have  behaved 
as  well  as  Joseph  did.  And  we  find  that  the  sons  of 
Bilhah  and  Zilpah,  with  whom  Joseph  had  been 
while  taking  care  of  the  flock,  either  said  or  did 


22  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

some  wicked  thing,  of  which  Joseph  felt  it  to  be  his 
duty  to  tell  his  father. 

Being  such  a  son,  it  was  no  wonder  that  Jacob 
loved  him  more  than  he  did  his  brothers,  and  proba- 
bly often  spoke  of  him  in  their  presence,  as  affording 
an  example  which  they  ought  to  follow.  Joseph 
wore,  also,  a  very  beautiful  and  costly  garment  of 
various  colors,  which  his  father  gave  him  as  a  pe- 
culiar mark  of  his  affection,  and,  not  unlikely,  to 
distinguish  him  from  his  brothers,  and  to  show  that 
in  some  respects  he  was  superior  to  them ;  for  after 
this  we  do  not  read  any  more  of  his  keeping  the 
flocks,  and  it  is  supposed  that  he  stayed  at  home 
with  his  father,  to  aid  him  in  the  care  of  his  family 
and  in  his  other  concerns. 

All  these  things  led  Joseph's  brethren  to  regard 
him  with  great  hatred  and  envy.  When  they  met 
him  they  could  not  speak  peaceably  unto  him.  They 
often  passed  by  him  without  giving  him  a  single 
kind  look  or  word ;  and  sometimes  they  used  to- 
ward him  violent  and  reproachful  language.  It  is 
probable,  too,  that,  when  alone  by  themselves,  they 
spoke  very  disrespectfully  of  their  aged  father,  com- 
plaining of  his  great  affection  to  their  brother,  and 
accusing  Joseph  of  meddling  in  their  concerns,  and 
of  informing  Jacob  of  what  they  said  or  did. 

Have  you  ever  felt  so  toward  any  of  your  bro- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  23 

thers  or  sisters,  or  toward  any  of  your  companions 
at  school,  because  they  conducted  better  than  you 
did,  and  received  the  approbation  of  your  parents  or 
teachers,  and  had  something  given  to  them,  while 
you  had  nothing  given  to  you  ?  If  you  have,  then 
you  know  what  envy  is,  and  you  ought  to  know 
too,  and  to  feel  what  a  base  and  wicked  thing  it  is 
to  be  envious  of  others.  If  they  are  good  and  happy, 
and  are  beloved  and  esteemed,  and  have  things 
which  you  have  not,  ought  you  not  to  rejoice  in  it, 
instead  of  envying  them,  and  wishing  to  see  them 
deprived  of  what  they  have,  that  you  may  enjoy  it  ? 
ought  you  not  to  endeavor  to  imitate  their  example, 
and  partake  with  them  of  their  happiness  ?  For  pa- 
rents and  teachers  have  esteem,  and  love,  and  other 
things,  enough  and  enough,  to  bestow  upon  all  the 
children  who  conduct  well,  and  deserve  their  ap- 
probation. 

You  will  see  as  we  go  on  to  the  history  of  Jo- 
seph, to  what  great  wickedness  the  envy  of  his  bro- 
thers toward  him  finally  led.  Ah !  you  know  not 
to  what  your  envy  toward  your  brothers  and  sisters 
may  lead !  Sin  of  all  kinds  may  appear  small  at 
first,  but  it  grows  very  rapidly,  and  soon  becomes 
dreadful  indeed.  Did  you  ever  think  to  what  your 
giving  one  How  in  anger,  if  not  repented  of,  will 
lead  ?  If  you  do  not  repent  of  it,  and  pray  to  God 


24  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH* 

that  you  may  overcome  such  a  temper,  it  will  lead 
you,  when  provoked,  to  give  a  still  more  violent 
blow  in  greater  anger.  And  have  you  thought  to 
what  all  this  may  lead?  Will  it  make  you  shudder 
when  I  tell  you  that  it  has  led — -to  murder ;  that  it 
may  lead  you  to  be  a  murderer  ? 

So  your  envious  feelings,  if  not  repented  of  and 
overcome,  may  lead  you,  as  you  will  see  in  the  case 
of  Joseph's  brethren,  to  do  some  very  wicked  and 
dreadful  thing. 

Have  you  repented  of  such  feelings?  Do  you 
now  truly  repent  of  them,  and  beseech  God  to  give 
you  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  entirely  over- 
come them  ?  If  you  have  not  yet  done  this,  I  entreat 
you  to  delay  to  do  it  no  longer. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Joseph's  dreams.— His  brethren  go  to  Shechem.— Description 
of  this  place. — Joseph  sent  to  inquire  after  his  brethren. 

WHILE  Joseph  was  treated  with  so  much  hatred 
by  his  brethren,  he  was  led  by  a  dream,  which  God 
produced  in  his  mind  as  he  was  asleep,  to  expect 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


25 


some  future  great  change  in  his  condition,  that  would 
place  him  very  high  above  them. 

He  dreamed  that  they  were  all  together  in  the 
field,  binding  up  the  sheaves  of  grain  which  had 
been  reaped.  All  at  once,  the  sheaf  which  Joseph 
had  bound  stood  upright  of  itself,  and  the  sheaves 
which  his  brethren  had  bound  stood  round  about  it 
and  bowed  down  before  it. 


He  told  this  dream  to  his  brethren,  and  their 
hatred  toward  him  was  greatly  increased  by  it. 
They  asked  him  in  a  very  reproachful  way,  what 
he  meant  by  telling  them  such  a  dream.  They  said 

L.  j.  3 


26  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

to  him,  Shalt  thou,  indeed^  reign  over  us?  Shall  we 
bow  down  before  thee,  and  obey  thee,  as  our  ruler  or 
king  ?  How  great  is  thy  folly  and  pride,  a  mere  youth 
as  thou  art,  and  our  younger  brother  too,  to  expect 
that  such  a  dream  will  ever  come  to  pass  ! 

But  it  was  not  long  before  Joseph  had  another 
dream,  still  more  remarkable  than  this. 

He  dreamed  that  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  the 
eleven  stars  were  all  around  him,  and  bowed  down 
before  him. 

He  told  this  dream  to  his  father,  and  to  his  breth- 
ren ;  and  they  supposed  that  if  it  meant  to  foretell 
any  thing,  it  was,  that  not  only  his  brethren,  whom 
the  eleven  stars  represented,  but  also  his  father  and 
mother,  whom  the  sun  and  moon  represented,  should 
yet  bow  down  before  him,  and  obey  him  as  their 
ruler  or  king. 

Jacob',  seeing  that  Joseph  was  in  danger  of  grow- 
ing proud  by  having  such  dreams,  or  perhaps  not 
inclined  fully  to  believe  them  as  foretelling  what 
would  really  happen,  rebuked  him  :  "  What  is  this 
dream  that  thou  hast  dreamed  ?"  said  he.  "  Shall  I, 
and  thy  mother,  and  thy  brethren,  indeed,  come  to 
bow  down  ourselves  to  thee,  to  the  earth?" 
'  Still,  he  could  not  help  considering  it  a  very  re- 
markable dream,  especially  as  it  was  so  much  like  the 
first  one  which  Joseph  had  ;  and  he  did  not  forget  it. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  27 

This  dream  had  the  same  effect  upon  the  brethren 
of  Joseph  as  the  former  one.  They  envied  and  hated 
him  the  more.  They,  no  doubt,  wished  for  an  op- 
portunity to  do  him  some  great  injury.  For  envy 
and  hatred  cannot  remain  inactive.  They  are  like 
a  flarne  which  is  smothered  for  a  little  while,  and 
then  bursts  out  with  double  violence.  We  shall  see 
that  such  was  the  effect  of  the  evil  passions  which 
burned  within  the  breasts  of  the  brothers  of  Joseph. 
Not  long  after  this  they  were  sent  by  their  father 
to  feed  his  flock  in  Shechem. 

This  place  was  between  sixty  and  seventy  miles 
north  of  Hebron ;  so  that  it  was  a  considerable  dis- 
tance to  drive  the  large  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats 
which  Jacob  owned.  But  it  was  necessary  to  do  this, 
and  to  go  from  place  to  place,  in  order  to  find  suffi- 
cient pastures  for  them. 

In  the  valley  of  Shechem  they  could  find  an  abun- 
dance. It  was  "  a  field  which  the  Lord  had  blessed." 
Modern  travellers  speak  of  this  part  of  Palestine 
as  among  the  most  pleasant  and  fertile. 

The  city,  now  called  Napolose,  as  it  is  approached 
from  the  neighboring  hills,  appears  embosomed  in 
delightful  and  fragrant  bowers,  half  hid  by  rich  gar- 
dens, and  by  groves  of  tall  trees,  all  around  the  beau- 
tiful valley  in  which  it  stands. 

On  the  right  and  left  are  the  mountains  of  Gerizim 


28  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

and  Ebal,  whose  lofty,  craggy,  and  barren  heights 
are  strikingly  contrasted  with  the  rich  valley  be- 
neath, and  with  the  extensive  olive  grounds  that  are 
spread  over  its  surface. 

Near  this  place,  called,  in  the  time  of  our  Savior, 
Sychar,  was  Jacob's  Well,  where,  you  recollect, 
Christ  conversed  with  the  Woman  of  Samaria  ;  and 
here,  too,  Joseph  himself  was  buried,  as  we  shall  see 
at  the  close  of  his  strange  and  eventful  life. 

To  this  delightful  spot  Jacob  had  sent  his  sons 
to  find  feed  for  his  numerous  and  increasing  flocks. 

Being  so  far  from  home,  it  was  not  long  before 
their  kind  father  began  to  feel  anxious  about  them, 
and  directed  Joseph  to  go  and  see  if  it  was  "  well 
with  them,  and  with  the  flocks,  and  bring  him  word 
again." 

It  was  a  long  journey  for  such  a  young  man  to 
take  alone,  and  on  foot.  In  addition  to  this,  he  must 
have  feared  not  a  little,  on  account  of  the  treatment 
which  he  might  receive  from  his  brethren.  But  his 
father  directed  him  to  go,  and  this  was  enough  for  a 
dutiful  son.  He  cheerfully  obeyed  ;  and  leaving  his 
home,  in  the  pleasant  vale  of  Hebron,  set  out  for 
Shechem,  to  find  his  brothers,  and  to  see  if  they  were 
well. 

He  little  knew  what  was  before  him;  through 
what  wondrous  scenes  he  was  soon  to  pass ;  and 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  29 

how  God  was  leading  him  now  to  take  the  first  steps 
in  that  path  which  would  end  in  his  future  great- 
ness, and  in  the  striking  fulfillment  of  his  dreams. 

Little,  too,  did  his  aged  father  Jacob,  as  he  gave 
Joseph  his  parting  blessing,  think  of  the  sorrows 
which  were  soon  to  come  upon  him ;  and  that  many 
long,  long  years  would  pass  by  before  he  should 
again  see  this  dutiful  and  beloved  son. 

They  bade  each  other  farewell  in  peace.  What 
trials  each  must  endure  before  they  shall  meet  in 
peace  again  ! 


CHAPTER    V. 


Joseph  approaches  his  brethren. — Their  great  wickedness  in 
designing  to  take  his  life. — Sin  is  the  cause  of  misery. — It 
is  the  greatest  of  evils. — To  what  it  leads  if  not  repented  of, 

JOSEPH  at  length  arrived  at  Shechem.  As  he 
was  walking  about  the  fields  and  endeavoring  to 
find  his  brethren,  a  stranger  met  him  and  inquired 
what  he  was  looking  after.  He  replied,  "  I  seek  my 
brethren  :  tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  where  thev  feed 
their  flocks," 

L.  j.  a* 


30  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

"  And  the  man  said,  They  are  departed  hence  ;  for 
I  heard  them  say,  Let  us  go  to  Dothan." 

Dothan  was  still  farther  north,  and  more  than 
twenty  miles  from  Shechem.  Hither  Joseph  imme- 
diately proceeded,  and  found  the  place  where  his 
brethren  were. 

He  was,  doubtless,  glad  to  arrive  at  the  end  of  his 
journey,  and  hoped  soon  to  be  able  to  return  to  his 
beloved  father  with  the  good  news  of  his  brethren's 
welfare. 

They  saw  him  approaching  at  a  very  consider- 
able distance ;  and  how  do  you  think  they  felt  as 
they  caught  the  first  sight  of  his  person,  and  were 
sure  that  it  was  indeed  their  brother  Joseph  ?  Were 
they  rejoiced  that  they  should  now  hear  from  home, 
and  learn  how  their  venerable  father  did,  and  all 
his  family,  who  were  with  him? 

You  imagine,  probably,  that  you  would  have  felt 
so  had  you  been  in  their  circumstances.  Alas !  you 
know  very  little  of  the  deceitfulness  and  of  the  wick- 
edness of  the  human  heart!  I  told  you  to  what  en- 
vy and  hatred,  if  not  repented  of  and  overcome, 
will  lead.  You  will  now  see  that  I  told  you  the 
truth. 

Neither  their  absence  from  home,  nor  the  inno- 
cent and  pleasant  occupation  in  which  they  were 
engaged,  had  any  effect  to  soften  their  feelings  and 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  31 

lead  them  to  forget  what  they  considered  the  inju- 
ries which  both  Joseph  and  their  father  had  done 
them. 

They  had  been  wandering  in  the  delightful  valley 
of  Shechem,  breathing  its  balmy  air,  viewing  its 
beautiful  and  sublime  scenes,  feeding  their  flocks  in 
its  green  pastures,  and  beside  its  cooling  streams, 
and  reclining  under  its  refreshing  shades,  with 
abundant  time  for  calm  and  serious  thought. 

How  favorable  every  thing  was  to  their  repenting 
of  their  late  bitter  resentment  toward  their  brother ! 
How  much  their  peaceful  employment,  the  good- 
ness of  God  toward  them,  and  his  tender  mercies 
shown  forth  in  all  the  works  of  his  hands  around 
them ;  how  much  all  this  ought  to  have  affected 
their  hearts  with  gratitude  to  their  heavenly  Father, 
and  with  good  will  to  their  fellow-men  ! 

It  was  far  otherwise.  The  first  glimpse  which 
they  caught  of  Joseph,  perhaps  descending  a  distant 
hill,  and  wearing  still  the  beautiful  garment  given 
to  him  by  his  father,  kindled  up  all  the  evil  passions 
which  were  slumbering  in  their  breasts. 

His  dreams  came  to  their  remembrance,  on  ac- 
count of  which,  above  all  other  things,  they  hated 
him  so  bitterly.  "  And  they  said  one  to  another,  Be- 
hold, this  dreamer  cometh.  Come  now,  therefore,  and 
let  us  slay  him,  and  cast  him  into  some  pit ;  and  we 


32  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH, 

will  say,  some  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him :  am*  we 
shall  see  what  will  become  of  his  dreams" 

Pride,  envy,  hatred — these  were  the  wicked  pas- 
sions which  led  them  thus  to  propose  to  each  other 
to  take  the  life  of  their  own  brother. 

Their  pride  was  sorely  wounded  ;  because,  if  the 
dreams  of  Joseph  should  come  to  pass,  they  would 
have  to  acknowledge  him  as  their  ruler  or  king. 
How  could  they  submit  to  such  a  degradation — they 
the  elder,  to  bow  down  before  the  younger  brother  ! 

Their  envy  was  greatly  excited.  They  recollect- 
ed all  the  fondness  which  Jacob  their  father  had 
shown  for  Joseph.  They  saw  him  still  wearing  the 
garment  which  was  the  mark  of  that  fondness,  and 
of  his  superiority  to  them.  They  knew  that  he  de- 
served this  distinction,  because  his  character  and 
conduct  were  so  much  better  than  theirs.  They 
longed  to  see  him  deprived  of  all  that  he  had  and 
enjoyed,  as  if  this  would  increase  their  own  happi 
ness. 

Their  hatred  was  roused  to  the  highest  degree. 
They  were  ready  to  do  Joseph  any  evil,  however 
great.  They  were  ready  to  take  his  life. 

I  have  dwelt  a  little  on  this  part  of  the  history, 
that  I  may  lead  you  to  think  very  seriously  of  what 
sin  is. 

You  see  it,  and  how  dreadful  it  appears,  in  the 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  33 

wicked  thoughts  and  feelings  of  Joseph's  brethren. 

Have  you  ever  considered  your  own  wicked 
thoughts  and  feelings,  which  you  have  often  had  and 
kept  to  yourself,  or  which  have  sometimes  heen 
shown  in  your  conversation  and  conduct?  Have 
you  thought  how  they  must  have  appeared  in  the 
sight  of  God,  who  has  seen  and  known  them  all? 

If  you  have  never  yet  truly  repented  of  your  sins  ; 
and  besought  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  forgive  you  ; 
and  prayed  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  have 
strength  given  you  to  get  rid  of  all  sin ;  then  you  are 
in  the  same  dreadful  condition  in  which  the  brethren 
of  Joseph  were.  Sin  was  their  master;  and  sin  is 
your  master.  What  I  mean  by  this  is,  that,  while 
you  remain  impenitent,  you  will  yield  to  and  obey 
your  wicked  passions  and  desires.  They  will  rule 
over  you,  and  will  lead  you  continually  to  say  and 
to  do  one  wicked  thing  and  another,  till  you  know 
not  how  great  your  wickedness  may  become. 

You  may  think  that  your  sins  now  are  very  small. 
But  it  is  not  a  small  thing  to  break  the  commands 
of  the  great,  the  good,  and  the  just  God  He  is  your 
kind  friend.  A  thankful  heart  should  7ead  you  to 
remember  all  his  kindness,  and  to  love  and  obey  him. 
He  made  you.  You  are  his  property.  He  has  a 
right  to  your  love  and  obedience.  And,  beside  all 
this,  it  is  by  your  loving  and  obeying  him  that  he 


34  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

wishes  you  to  do  all  you  can  to  make  both  others  and 
yourself  happy.  For,  just  as  the  love  and  obedience 
of  children  to  kind  and  good  parents,  makes  them- 
selves and  all  the  family  happy,  as  you  well  know 
is  the  Gasp;  so  love  and  obedience  to  the  kinaanc 
good  father  of  all,  would  make  all  the  beings  in  his 
great  family  happy. 

Sin  is  the  great  cause  of  misery  among  all  be- 
ings;  just  as  you  know  disobedience  to  parents,  ana 
wicked  conduct,  are  the  cause  of  wretchedness  in  fa- 
milies. 

No  sins  should  be  called  small.  If  you  do  not  re- 
pent of  your  sins,  and  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  be  saved,  by  him,  from  your  sins,  as  well  as  from 
the  punishment  which  they  deserve  ;  all  your  wick- 
ed thoughts  and  feelings  will  be  increasing  in  num- 
ber and  in  strength,  as  you  grow  older. 

What  a  sad  prospect !  Where  will  such  a  course 
of  sinning  end?  What  may  it  not  lead  you  to  do, 
even  in  this  life  !  Whither  will  it  lead  you,  in  the 
world  to  come ! 

"  The  wao-es  of  sin  is  death ;  the  death — the  eter- 

O  ' 

nal  death  of  the  soul ;  its  being  shut  out  for  ever 
from  the  joys  of  heaven ;  its  being  sentenced  to  that 
place  of  awful  wickedness  and  suffering,  where  "the 
worm  diethnot  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched  !" 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  35 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Reuben  pleads  for  Joseph's  life. — Joseph  cast  into  a  pit. — 
His  brethren  hard-hearted.— Judah  pleads  for  Joseph's 
life. — He  is  sold  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and  carried  to  Egypt. 
—The  providence  of  God. 

AND  are  the  brethren  of  Joseph  about  to  kill  their 
brother  ?  All  bat  one  have  it  in  their  hearts  to  do  this 
wicked  deed.  They  are  planning  the  mode  of  doing 
it,  and  in  what  way  they  will  prevent  its  discovery, 
and  make  their  father  believe  that  Joseph  was  de- 
voured by  some  wild  beast.  They  are  talking  of  slay- 
ing him,  and  of  then  casting  the  body  into  some 
deep  pit,  where  it  will  never  be  seen  by  any  human 
eye.  They  are  all  ready  to  gratify  their  wicked  pas- 
sions of  pride,  envy,  and  hatred. 

But  God  will  not  permit  it  to  be  done.  He  has 
great  things  for  Joseph  yet  to  do,  and  his  life  must 
be  spared.  There  is  one  of  the  brothers  not  so  cruel 
as  the  rest.  It  is  Reuben,  the  eldest.  God  awakens 
his  conscience  to  see  the  dreadful  wickedness  of 
what  they  are  about  to  do,  and  softens  his  heart  to 
feel  for  his  brother  and  aged  father.  He  begs  them 
not  to  kill  Joseph,  and  advises  them  to  cast  him  into 
a  deep  pit  that  was  near  by.  This  he  does,  thinking 


36  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

that  their  rage  against  him  is  so  great  that  they  will 
not  let  him  entirely  escape,  and  hoping  to  find  an 
opportunity  afterward  of  rescuing  his  brother,  and 
of  restoring  him  to  Jacob. 

The  other  brothers  are  persuaded  to  follow  the 
advice  of  Reuben.  They  probably  perceive  that  if 
they  proceed  actually  to  kill  Joseph,  Reuben  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  that  he  will  tell  the 
whole  affair  to  their  father. 

But  now  Joseph  is  approaching  his  brethren, 
ready  to  show  his  affection  for  them — to  tell  them  of 
their  father's  welfare,  and  to  inquire  kindly  after 
them. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  37 

What  is  his  surprise  and  alarm,  as  they  seize  him 
roughly  and  strip  him  of  his  beautiful  garment  of 
various  colors,  and  cast  him  into  a  deep  pit ;  and  leave 
him  there,  wondering  and  trembling,  not  knowing 
what  they  intend  yet  to  do  with  him.  Perhaps  they 
will  soon  come  again,  he  thinks,  to  take  his  life ;  or, 
probably,  they  mean  to  leave  him  there,  to  perish 
with  hunger. 

And  what  do  his  brethren  do  ?  They  sit  down  on 
the  green  grass  to  eat  their  food,  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  Who  would  think  that  they  could  do  this 
so  quietly  and  comfortably,  and  so  directly  after  their 
cruel  treatment  of  their  brother  ? 

But  sin  hardens  the  heart.  Hate  produces  cruel- 
ty. And  even  the  children  of  the  same  father,  when 
they  become  envious  of  each  other,  will  soon  be  pre- 
pared to  act  toward  each  other  more  like  wild  and 
ferocious  animals  than  like  human  beings. 

Who  are  those  seen  at  a  distance  travelling  on 
camels,  and  coming  near  the  spot  where  the  breth- 
ren of  Joseph  are  still  seated  on  the  ground  ? 

They  are  a  company  of  Ishmaelites  and  Midian- 
ites,  who  have  been  to  a  country  east  of  Dothan, 
called  Gilead,  where  they  have  bought  some  of  the 
very  precious  things  that  are  produced  there — 
spices,  balm,  and  myrrh — and  are  now  going  a  great 
way  to  another  country,  called  Egypt,  to  sell  these 

L.    J.  4 


38  HISTORY    OF     JOSEPH. 

articles  to  the  people  who  live  there,  and  who  are 
very  fond  of  using  them. 

This  is  all  directed  by  God,  who  so  ordered  it 
that  these  travelling  merchants  should  pass  by  just 
at  this  time,  that  it  might  be  the  means  of  saving 
Joseph's  life,  and  of  bringing  about  the  exact  fulfill- 
ment of  his  dreams. 

Another  brother  begins  to  feel  a  little  for  poor 
Joseph.  It  is  Judah,  the  fourth  son.  He  says  to  his 
brethren,  "What  good  will  it  do  us  to  kill  our  bro 
ther  ?  We  may  do  it  in  such  a  way,  indeed,  as  never 
to  have  it  known,  but  it  will  be  of  no  benefit  to  us. 
Why  should  we  wish  to  kill  him  ?  Let  us  not  do  it. 
He  is  our  brother,  the  son  of  the  same  father.  Let 
us  spare  his  life,  and  sell  him  to  those  merchants, 
who  will  soon  be  here.  They  will  carry  him  far 
enough  off  to  prevent  him  from  ever  troubling  us 
again  with  his  foolish  dreams,  or  pretending  to  ex- 
pect to  be  a  ruler  over  us." 

Judah  prevails  with  the  rest,  and  they  go  and 
draw  Joseph  out  of  the  pit,  hungry,  and  trembling, 
and  dreading  what  their  cruel  hands  may  do  unto 
him. 

The  Ishmaelites  approach,  and  after  bargaining 
with  them  about  the  price,  just  as  if  they  were  part- 
ing with  a  sheep  or  a  goat,  his  brothers  sell  Josephs  in 
spite  of  his  tears  and  entreaties,  to  these  strangers, 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


39 


•for  twenty  pieces  of  silver:  and  they  carry  him 
off  with  them  away  to  Egypt. 


That  was  the  very  place  to  which  God  intended 
that  Joseph  should  go.  His  wicked  brethren  did  not 
know  this.  They  had  no  idea  that  their  cruel  treat- 
ment of  him  would  be  the  very  means  of  defeating 
iheir  own  designs,  and  of  preparing  the  way  for 
their  future  shame  and  humiliation  before  their  in- 
jured brother. 

God  over-ruled  their  wicked  designs  so  as  to 
bring  about  his  own  good  purposes.  His  doing  this, 
and  indeed  his  knowing  beforehand  every  thing 


40  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

that  is  to  happen,  and  so  planning  and  ordering 
what  takes  place,  as  to  do  just  what  he  thinks  hest 
and  right  with  all  persons  and  things — is  what  we 
call  the  providence  of  God. 

It  is  this  providence  of  God  which  takes  care  of 
you,  my  dear  children,  and  plans  and  orders  what 
is  to  happen,  and  causes  so  many  comforts  and 
blessings  to  attend  you. 

It  was  this  same  providence  of  God  which  took 
care  of  poor  Joseph.  You  have  already  seen  how 
one  thing  and  another  were  ordered,  with  regard  to 
him,  in  a  very  striking  manner,  to  bring  about  the 
wise  purposes  of  God. 

You  will  see  the  same  providence  of  God  bring- 
ing about  still  more  wonderful  things,  with  regard 
to  him,  in  the  country  of  Egypt,  whither  he  has 
gone,  far  away  from  his  kind  father,  to  he  sold  as 
a  slave  in  a  land  of  strangers. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  41 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Reuben's  sorrow  at  finding  Joseph  gone. — Joseph's  brethren 
lead  their  father  to  believe  that  he  is  dead. — Their  great 
guilt. — The  commission  of  sin  leads  to  deception  and 
falsehood. 

REUBEN,  who  proposed  to  put  Joseph  in  the  pit 
that  he  might  save  his  life  and  return  him  to  his 
father,  was  absent  when  he  was  sold  to  the  Ish- 
maelites.  He  returned  soon  after,  and  going  to  the 
pit,  found  that  Joseph  was  not  there.  His  disap- 
pointment and  grief  at  this  were  very  great.  He 
rent  his  clothes.  It  was  customary  at  that  time  for 
persons  in  that  country  to  do  this,  as  a  mark  of  deep 
sorrow ;  and  Reuben  probably  intended  in  this  way 
to  let  his  brethren  see  how  keenly  he  felt  the  loss  of 
his  brother.  He  came  to  his  brethren,  and  broke 
out  in  this  affecting  lamentation :  The  child  is  not 
— and  J,  whither  shall  I  go  ? 

Reuben  was  soon  told  what  his  brethren  had 
done  with  Joseph  ;  and  he  saw  that  it  was  too  late 
for  him  to  attempt  anything  for  his  relief.  For,  had 
he  pursued  the  Ishmaelites,  it  is  not  at  all  probable 
that  they  would  have  given  up  Joseph,  even  if  the 
money  had  been  given  back  to  them  again.  It  is 

L.  J.  4* 


42  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

doubtful,  too,  whether  Reuben  had  money  enough 
of  his  own  for  this  purpose ;  and  we  cannot  suppose 
that  his  brethren  would  let  him  have  the  twenty 
pieces  of  silver  to  defeat  their  own  design  in  selling 
their  brother. 

They  had  now  to  devise  some  way  of  concealing 
their  guilt,  so  that  their  father  and  his  family  might 
be  kept  in  ignorance  of  it,  and  of  what  had  become 
of  Joseph. 

One  sin  is  the  cause  of  another.  They  had  done 
the  greatest  injury  to  their  unoffending  brother,  and 
some  deception  must  be  practised  by  which  to  im- 
pose upon  their  aged  parent. 

It  is  uncertain  whether  Reuben  was  concerned 
with  them  or  not,  in  the  deception.  But,  at  any  rate, 
he  did  not  make  it  known,  and  in  this  way  partook 
of  their  guilt,  and  showed  that  he  was  afraid  to  do 
his  duty. 

The  deception  which  they  practised  was  this. 
They  killed  a  kid  or  young  goat,  and  dipped  the 
beautiful  coat  of  Joseph  in  its  blood.  They  then 
brought  it  to  their  father  and  showed  it  to  him  all 
bloody  as  it  was.  "  We  have  found  it,"  said  they  ; 
"  know  now  whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  no." 

"  And  he  knew  it,  and  said,  It  is  my  son's  coat , 
an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him  ;  Joseph  is,  without 
doubt,  rent  in  pieces.'7 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  43 

What  an  affliction  to  Jacob !  He  could  not  have 
had  a  severer  one.  Rachel,  whom  he  loved  so  ten- 
derly, was  gone.  He  buried  her  at  Ephrath.  And 
now,  the  next  dearest  object  of  his  affection,  the  son 
whom  he  hoped  to  have  as  the  support  and  solace 
of  his  already  declining  years,  is  also  gone.  It  would 
have  been  a  consolation  to  have  laid  him  in  his 
grave.  But  this  is  denied  him. 

In  the  bitterness  of  his  grief,  Jacob  rent  his  clothes, 
and  put  on  sackcloth,  and  mourned  for  his  son  many 
days. 

"  And  all  his  sons  and  all  his  daughters  rose 
up  to  comfort  him ;  but  he  refused  to  be  comforted  ; 
and  he  said,  For  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave 
unto  my  son,  mourning.  Thus  his  father  wept  for 
him." 

Jacob's  sons,  trying  to  comfort  him  for  the  loss  of 
Joseph,  whom  they  themselves  had  sold  into  bond- 
age, and  sent  far  away  from  his  affectionate  father ! 
They  pretending  to  mingle  their  sorrow  with  his, 
when  they  were  secretly  rejoicing  at  the  event 
which  occasioned  it !  They  endeavoring  to  allay  his 
grief,  when  the  deception  which  they  had  practised 
was  the  reason  whv  that  grief  was  so  excessive ! 
They  calling  upon  him  to  dry  up  his  tears,  when 
they  had  it  in  their  power,  by  simply  telling  him 
that  Joseph  was  yet  alive,  to  furnish  a  consolation 


44  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

which  would  have  turned  those  tears  of  sadness  into 
tears  of  joy  ! 

What  base  deceivers !  What  wicked  hypocrites  ! 
What  ungrateful  and  cruel  children  !  How  is  their 
guilt  increasing;  and  how  great  must  be  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God  against  them ! 

You  see  in  all  this  your  own  danger,  if  you  go 
on  indulging  sinful  thoughts  and  feelings,  and  com- 
mitting sinful  actions.  Stop  and  think  of  this  dan- 
ger. Think  especially  of  one  striking  thing  which 
marked  the 'progress  of  Joseph's  brethren  in  guilt. 
I  mean  their  resort  to  deception  and  falsehood. 

Remember  that  those  who  are  guilty  of  wicked 
conduct,  wish  and  strive  to  conceal  it.  Have  you 
not  always  found  it  to  be  so,  when  you  have  said  or 
done  any  thing  which  you  knew  to  be  wrong  ? 

But  triose  who  wish  to  conceal  their  evil  conduct 
are  strongly  tempted  to  do  this  by  some  kind  of  arti- 
fice, or  even  by  a  downright  falsehood. 

You  know  it  is  a  common  saying,  that  those  who 
steal,  will  also  lie.  It  is  true — and  it  is  equally  true, 
that  those  who  commit  wickedness,  of  whatever  kind, 
will  practise  deception,  and  tell  a  falsehood  rather 
than  be  detected. 

How  mean  and  cowardly,  as  well  as  sinful,  it  is, 
to  be  a  liar !  "  Lying  lips  are  an  abomination  to  the 
Lord,  but  they  that  deal  truly  are  his  delight.  Liars 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  45 

shall  have  their  portion  in  the  lake  that  burneth 
with  fire  and  brimstone." 

Fear  then  to  sin.  Fear  all  wicked  thoughts,  and 
feelings,  and  conduct.  For  these  will  lead  you  to  de- 
ceive, and  if,  in  your  opinion,  there  is  great  danger 
of  detection — to  lie. 

There  is  no  security  against  this,  but  in  loving 
and  obeying  God.  Have  you  a  heart  thus  disposed 
to  love  and  obey  him?  If  you  have  not — think  of 
the  sons  of  Jacob.  Think  of  their  very  wicked  con- 
duct toward  their  brother  and  father.  It  all  proceed- 
ed from  their  evil  hearts. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Joseph  sold  to  Potiphar. — His  history  given  to  us,  to  show 
us  the  providence  of  God. — Potiphar's  great  regard  for  Jo- 
seph.— Duties  to  others  to  be  performed  in  the  fear  of  God. 

IT  was  a  long  journey  of  several  hundred  miles, 
from  Dothan,  the  place  where  Joseph  was  sold  to  the 
Ishmaelites,  to  Egypt,  the  country  to  which  they 
carried  him. 

You  had  better  get  some  one  to  show  you  these 
places  on  the  map ;  and  also  Mesopotamia,  from 


46 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


which  Jacob  came  with  his  family;  and  Hebron, 
where  he  found  his  father  Isaac,  and  where  he 
lived  ;  and  also  Shechem,  or  Sychar,  where  the  bro- 
thers of  Joseph  were  keeping  the  flocks,  when  he 
was  sent  to  inquire  after  them. 

Egypt  was  a  large  country  in  Africa,  directly 
west  of  the  Red  Sea.  Tt  contained  a  great  many  peo- 
ple, and  was  governed  by  kings  who  were  called 
by  a  name,  meaning  the  same  as  king,  Pharaoh. 

These  kings  were  very  powerful.  They  had  many 
soldiers  under  them,  whom  they  could  command  to 
do  as  they  pleased,  and  this  made  the  people  fear 
and  obey  them. 

They  kept  some  of  these  soldiers  always  near 
them,  about  their  house  and  person ;  and  they  were 
called  the  king's  guard.  They  defended  the  king 
against  any  one  who  might  wish  to  take  his  life,  or 
do  him  an  injury.  Beside  this,  they  were  the  per- 
sons who  put  to  death  those  whom  the  king  sentenc- 
ed to  die  on  account  of  any  crime;  or,  as  was  some- 
times the  case,  because  he  feared  them,  or  was  angry 
with  them.  The  king's  guard  was  commanded  by  a 
captain  or  officer,  such  as  you  have  seen  at  the  head 
of  a  company  of  soldiers  ;  and  at  the  time  when  Jo- 
seph was  carried  into  Egypt  the  name  of  this  captain 
of  the  guard  was  Potiphar. 

He  was  a  rich  and  powerful  man,  one  of  the  great- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  47 

est  in  the  whole  country,  next  to  the  king.  He  had  a 
large  house,  and  much  land,  and  many  persons  under 
him,  to  do  his  work. 

It  was  Potiphar,  this  captain  of  the  king's  guard, 
to  whom  the  Ishmaelites  sold  Joseph  soon  after  their 
arrival  in  Egypt.  We  do  not  know  what  price  they 
got  for  him.  But  it  was  undoubtedly  a  good  deal 
more  than  the  twenty  pieces  of  silver  which  they 
paid  to  his  brothers.  For  they  bought  him  to  make 
money  of  him,  just  as  people  do  of  any  thing  that 
they  buy  to  sell  again. 

Poor  Joseph !  thus  to  be  sold  twice  as  a  slave ; 
and  now  to  a  strange  master,  in  a  strange  land  ;  hun- 
dreds of  miles  from  home,  from  his  father,  and  fami- 
ly, and  friends ! 

But  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  put  his  trust 
in  God,  and  prayed  to  him,  and  looked  up  unto 
him  for  protection  and  guidance.  And  God  did  pro- 
tect, and  guide,  and  bless  Joseph,  as  you  will  see. 
You  will  see,  too,  how  it  was  again  ordered  by  the 
providence  of  God,  that  Joseph  should  be  sold  to  this 
very  captain  of  the  king's  guard,  in  order  to  bring 
about  the  design  of  God,  and  the  exact  fulfillment  of 
Joseph's  dreams. 

I  wish,  my  dear  children,  that  you  would  keep 
continually  in  mind  this  over-ruling  providence  of 
God,  as  we  go  along  in  the  history  of  Joseph.  For 


48  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

this  is  one  important  reason  why  God  has  given  us 
this  history  in  the  Bible ;  and  when  you  come  to 
read  about  the  descendants  of  Jacob,  the  Israelites  ; 
and  what  a  great  and  powerful  nation  they  became ; 
and  how  Jesus  Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  world,  was 
born  among  this  people,  and  was  one  of  them,  him- 
self  a  descendant  of  Abraham,  the  grandfather  of 
Jacob ;  you  will  find  more  strange  and  wonderful 
things,  connected  with  the  simple  fact  of  Joseph's 
being  sold  in  Egypt)  than  you  can  now  imagine* 
You  will  find  that  God,  by  his  providence — his  plan- 
ning, ordering,  and  directing  all  events — is,  truly, 
great  in  counsel  and  mighty  in  work ;  and  you  will 
be  ready  to  exclaim,  as  Moses  did,  "  Who  is  like 
unto  thee,  O  Lord ;  who  is  like  thee ;  glorious  in 
holiness ;  fearful  in  praises  ;  doing  wonders  ?" 

Joseph  had  not  been  long  with  Potiphar  before 
the  latter  began  to  notice  that  he  was  a  very  indus- 
trious servant,  and  that  he  was  faithful  and  upright 
in  all  his  conduct.  He  had  some  kind  of  labor  to  do 
in  the  house  of  his  master,  who  saw  that  Joseph  suc- 
ceeded exceedingly  well  in  doing  it ;  and  that  the 
business  in  the  family  which  was  entrusted  to  his 
care  was  managed  with  great  skill  and  wisdom. 
The  Bible,  in  speaking  of  this,  says,  "  his  master 
saw  that  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  that  the  Lord 
made  all  that  he  did  to  prosper  in  his  hand." 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  49 

There  was  something  in  Joseph's  conversation 
and  conduct  which  showed  that  he  feared  the  true 
God,  and  which  led  Potiphar  to  notice  it,  and  to  re- 
spect him  on  this  account. 

My  dear  children,  pray  to  God  to  give  you  his 
Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  be  led  to  imitate  this  ex- 
ample of  Joseph. 

You  are  called  upon  to  perform  certain  duties,  in 
obedience  to  the  commands  of  your  parents,  or  of 
other  persons  who  have  the  care  of  you. 

Whatever  you  thus  do,  do  it  in  the  fear  of  God ;  be- 
cause he  commands  you  to  do  your  duty ;  because  his 
eye  is  always  upon  you  5  and  because,  if  you  thus  love 
and  serve  him,  he  will  be  your  constant  protector 
and  friend,  as  he  was  of  Joseph. 

L.  j.  5 


50  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Joseph  made  overseer  of  Potiphar's  house. — He  is  tempted 
to  great  wickedness  by  Potiphar's  wife. — He  fears  to  sin 
against  God. — He  is  falsely  accused,  and  cast  into  prison. 
— His  good  conduct  there. — He  has  the  whole  care  of  the 
prison. — The  great  happiness  of  having  Go d  willi  us. 

JOSEPH  conducted  so  well  in  every  thing  with 
which  he  was  entrusted,  that  Potiphar  continued  to 
place  more  and  more  things  under  his  care ;  and  at 
length  his  confidence  in  him  was  so  great,  that  he 
made  him  "overseer  over  his  house;  and  all  that 
he  had  he  put  into  his  hand." 

Joseph  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  whole  of  Poti- 
phar's business.  Both  in  the  house  and  in  the  field 
he  directed  all  the  persons  whom  Potiphar  employ- 
ed, to  do  as  he  wished ;  and  so  entirely  did  he  have 
the  management  and  oversight  of  every  thing,  that, 
we  are  told  in  the  Bible,  Potiphar  knew  not  even  the 
different  kinds  of  property  which  he  owned,  except 
the  food  which  he  saw  on  his  table.  Every  thing 
was  provided  for  himself  and  the  family,  without  any 
care  of  his  own,  by  the  skill  and  industry  of  Joseph. 

In  the  midst  of  so  much  prosperity,  Joseph  did  not 
forget  that  he  was  indebted  for  it  all  to  the  kind  pro- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  51 

vidence  of  God.  He  continued  to  fear  and  obey  God ; 
and  I  think  so,  because  he,  soon  after,  was  severely 
tried,  and  tempted  to  do  evil,  but  resisted  the  temp- 
tation, and  showed  that  he  dreaded  more  than  any 
thing  else,  to  sin  against  God. 

It  was  the  wife  of  Potiphar  who  tempted  Joseph 
to  sin.  She  was  a  very  wicked  woman,  and  began 
to  love  Joseph,  as  if  he  were  her  husband.  She  had 
a  husband  already,  and  she  knew  how  sinful  it  was 
to  think  of  having  Joseph  for  her  husband,  and  to 
try  to  persuade  him  to  love  her  as  his  wife. 

For  any  married  man  or  woman  to  do  so,  with 
regard  to  any  other  person  who  is  not  married  to 
them,  you  know,  is  to  break  the  seventh  command- 
ment of  God,  which  says,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery." 

This  means,  that  a  married  man  shall  not  live 
with  any  woman,  as  his  wife,  excepting  the  one  to 
whom  he  is  married :  and  that  a  married  woman 
shall  not  live  with  any  other  man,  as  her  husband, 
excepting  the  one  to  whom  she  is  married. 

Whoever  does  this,  or,  as  our  Savior  teaches  us, 
even  wishes  to  do  so,  has  committed  adultery,  and  is 
a  very  great  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Potiphar's  wife  endeavored  to  persuade  Joseph 
thus  to  sin  against  God,  by  violating  one  of  his  com- 
mands, in  the  commission  of  very  great  wickedness. 


52  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Her  attempts  were  in  vain ;  for  Joseph  was  firm 
in  his  obedience  to  God.  "  How  can  I  do  this  great 
wickedness,"  said  he,  "and  sin  against  God !" 

The  love  of  Potiphar's  wife  was  turned  into 
hatred,  and  she  sought  to  do  Joseph  all  the  injury 
she  could.  She  told  her  husband  a  very  wicked 
falsehood  respecting  him.  She  accused  him  of  wish- 
ing to  have  her  as  his  wife,  and  Potiphar  believed  it. 
His  anger  was  roused  to  a  very  great  degree.  He 
determined  to  have  Joseph  in  his  house  no  longer. 
He  resolved  to  inflict  a  severe  punishment  upon  him ; 
and  he  caused  him  to  be  shut  up  in  prison. 

It  was  the  same  prison  in  which  those  persons 
were  confined  who  had  offended  against  the  king, 
or  broken  some  of  his  laws.  We  read  in  the  Bible, 
that  they  were  bound ;  so  that  it  is  probable  Joseph 
was  also  in  bonds,  wearing  them  on  his  arms  and 
legs,  and  shut  up  in  a  gloomy  cell  or  dungeon. 

What  a  change  for  this  poor  young  man  !  To  be 
taken  from  the  height  of  prosperity,  at  the  accusation 
of  a  false  and  wicked  woman,  and,  innocent  as  he  was, 
to  lose  the  favor  of  Potiphar,  and  be  cast  into  prison, 
without  any  one  to  be  his  defender  and  friend ! 

But  if  he  had  no  human  friend,  he  had  an  Almigh- 
ty one.  God  watched  over  him  for  good.  Indeed,  it 
was  God  himself,  by  his  wise  providence,  who  so 
overruled  the  designs  of  Potiphar's  wife  to  injure 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  53 

Joseph,  that  his  being  cast  into  prison  by  her  hus- 
band was  the  very  means  of  his  future  prosperity 
and  greatness,  and  of  the  exact  fulfillment  of  his 
dreams. 

Many  persons,  if  they  were  treated  as  Joseph  was ; 
sold  by  his  own  brothers ;  a  stranger  in  a  distant 
land ;  accused  falsely  of  a  great  crime ;  in  prison, 
and  in  bonds ;  would  murmur  and  complain,  and 
think  that  God  was  unkind  and  unjust,  in  permit- 
ting them  to  endure  such  sufferings. 

But  Joseph  did  not  feel  so.  He  was  not  made 
proud  by  prosperity  ;  and  now,  in  adversity,  he  was 
humble  and  patient. 

The  keeper  of  the  prison  noticed  how  he  felt  and 
conducted ;  and  God,  who  can  influence  the  hearts 
of  all  men,  inclined  the  heart  of  the  keeper  to  show 
Joseph  great  favor  and  kindness.  So  much  so,  that 
he  entrusted  him  with  the  government  of  the  pri- 
soners, and,  indeed,  with  the  entire  management  of 
the  prison. 

This  was  a  new  and  difficult  situation  for  a  per- 
son so  young  as  Joseph.  He  is  supposed,  at  this 
time,  to  have  been  twenty  seven  years  of  age.  But, 
his  wisdom  was  great  for  his  years,  and  his  upright- 
ness and  firmness  were  equally  so. 

He  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  prison  with  so 
much  judgment,  that  we  are  told,  in  the  Bible,  "the 

L.  J.  5* 


54  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

keeper  of  the  prison  looked  not  to  any  thing  that  was 
under  his  hand,  (that  is,  the  hand  of  Joseph,)  be- 
cause the  Lord  was  with  him ;  and  that  which  he  did, 
the  Lord  made  it  to  prosper." 

The  Lord  was  with  him.  What  a  privilege !  You 
think  it  a  great  comfort  to  have  your  father  or 
mother  with  you,  especially  when  you  are  in  diffi- 
culty, in  trouble,  or  in  sickness,  and  feel  the  need  of 
some  one  to  advise  you,  and  take  care  of  you.  How 
often  their  presence  has  calmed  your  fears  and 
soothed  your  sorrows.  How  have  you  leaned  on 
them  for  support,  when  you  felt  how  feeble  you  were, 
and  ignorant  of  what  was  best  to  be  done ! 

You  have  a  Father  in  heaven,  who  is  all-wise  and 
all-powerful !  He  wishes  you  to  feel  toward  him  as 
children  ought  to  do  toward  so  kind  and  powerful  a 
benefactor.  He  wishes  you  to  love  and  obey  him. 
He  tells  you,  in  the  Bible,  what  you  must  do  to 
please  him,  and  to  make  others  and  yourself  good 
and  happy.  He,  first  of  all,  requires  that  you  should 
be  heartily  sorry  for  all  your  sins,  and  forsake  them, 
and  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  save  you.  He 
invites  you  to  pray  to  him  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  lead 
you  to  do  what  he  requires ;  and  he  promises,  if  you 
•will  thus  pray,  to  give  you  this  Spirit. 

Will  you  go  to  this  heavenly  Father,  sorry  for 
your  sins  and  confessing  them  all ;  and  beseeching 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  55 

him,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  forgive  you,  and  to  grant 
you  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  be  led  to  love  and 
obey  him  ? 

Then  the  Lord  will  be  with  you,  as  he  was  with 
Joseph.  He  will  do  a  great  deal  more  for  you  than 
ever  your  father,  or  mother,  or  any  earthly  friend 
has  done. 

He  will  be  with  you,  having  you  under  the  pecu- 
liar care  of  his  providence ;  guiding  and  protecting 
you;  guarding  you  against  temptation  in  prospe- 
rity ;  supporting  you  under  trials  in  adversity ;  mak- 
ing all  things  work  together  for  your  good ;  and,  at 
last,  taking  you  to  heaven,  to  be  with  him  and  his 
Son,  and  the  spirits  of  the  redeemed,  where  all  are, 
for  ever,  free  from  sin  and  sorrow,  and  going  on  im- 
proving in  knowledge,  and  increasing  in  goodness 
and  happiness. 


56  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER    X. 

The  fear  of  God — what  it  is — its  benefits. — The  dream  of 
the  chief  butler. — Its  interpretation  by  Joseph. 

PERHAPS  you  have  wondered  that  so  young  a 
man  as  Joseph,  and  a  stranger  too,  should  so  soon, 
while  a  servant  in  the  one  case,  and  a  prisoner  in 
the  other,  gain  the  entire  confidence  of  Potiphar, 
and  of  the  jailor. 

There  is  one  simple  reason  for  it ;  he  feared  God. 

Wherever  he  was,  and  whatever  he  was  doing,  he 
remembered  that  the  eye  of  God  was  upon  him,  and 
that  he  would  have  to  render  an  account  to  God  of 
all  his  conduct. 

You  have  seen  a  striking  instance  of  this,  when 
Potiphar's  wife  tempted  him  to  sin.  How  can  I  do 
this  great  wickedness,  said  he,  and  sin  against  God. 

You  will  find  nothing  so  effectual  to  keep  you 
also  from  falling  into  sin,  and  to  strengthen  you  in 
the  performance  of  duty,  as  this  fear  of  God. 

It  is  a  fear  mingled  with  love ;  such  a  fear  as  an 
affectionate  and  dutiful  child  has,  of  offending  the 
parent  who  is  tender  and  yet  firm,  kind  and  yet 
strict,  in  the  government  of  his  family. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  57 

Study  your  Bible,  and  make  it  your  great  concern 
to  learn  who  God  is.  Find  out  all  that  you  can  of 
his  greatness  and  goodness ;  and  you  will  see  what 
reason  you  have  both  to  fear  and  to  love  so  glo- 
rious and  kind  a  being. 

Pray  that  you  may  fear  and  love  him,  and  have  a 
deep  feeling  of  his  presence,  and  of  your  accounta- 
bility to  him,  for  all  that  you  think,  and  say,  and  do. 
Then,  like  Joseph,  you  will  be  under  the  constant 
protection  of  God.  Wicked  persons  will  see  what  it 
is  that  leads  you  to  do  right,  and  they  will  respect 
you  for  it ;  and  good  persons  will  love  you ;  and  you 
will  be  taking  the  only  sure  way,  as  Joseph  did, 
whether  you  are  in  prosperity  or  in  adversity,  of 
gaining  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all. 

We  shall  see  these  truths  still  further  illustrated 
in  the  history  of  Joseph. 

Not  long  after  he  began  to  have  the  management 
of  the  prison,  there  were  two  persons  brought  there, 
of  whom  I  will  give  you  some  account. 

One  was  the  chief  butler  of  the  king  of  Egypt. 
He  probably  had  the  care  of  the  wine  which  the 
king  used,  and  when  the  king  drank  it,  handed  the 
cup  to  him.  Sometimes  he  would  take  the  fine 
ripe  grapes,  and  press  the  juice  into  the  cup,  and 
give  it  to  the  king  to  drink.  It  was  common  for  the 
kings  in  Egypt,  and  in  Asia,  in  ancient  times,  to 


58  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

have  such  cup-bearers,  and  the  office  was  consider- 
ed one  of  great  honor. 

The  other  person  who  was  brought  to  the  prison 
was  the  king's  chief  baker,  who  had  the  oversight 
of  those  who  prepared  his  bread  and  other  kinds  of 
food.  His  office,  too,  was  a  very  respectable  one. 
Indeed,  we  have  reason  to  conclude  that  both  these 
persons  were  of  high  rank ;  for  an  ancient  historian, 
Diodorus  Siculus,  who  has  written  about  the  Egyp- 
tians, tells  us  that  the  officers  of  the  kings  (such  as 
the  chief  butler,  or  cup-bearer,  and  the  chief  baker,) 
were  selected  from  the  most  distinguished  families 
of  the  priesthood,  and  were  among  the  nobles. 

It  seems  that  these  officers  of  the  king  had,  in 
some  way,  offended  him.  He  was  so  enraged  at 
their  conduct  that  he  put  them  into  the  prison  in 
which  Joseph  was,  being  a  part  of  the  house  of 
Potiphar  the  captain  of  the  guard,  and  probably 
under  his  general  superintendence. 

Potiphar  charged  Joseph  with  the  care  of  the 
chief  butler  and  chief  baker,  and  he  saw  that  they 
were  placed  in  confinement,  and  provided  with 
such  things  as  were  allowed  to  prisoners  in  their  si- 
tuation. 

After  having  been  in  prison  some  time,  these  two 
men  had  each  of  them  a  dream  the  same  night,  which 
led  them  to  wonder  at  it  not  a  little,  and  to  feel  very 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  59 

sorrowful.  The  next  morning,  when  Joseph  came 
in  to  see  them,  as  he  usually  did,  to  find  out  wheth- 
er every  thing  was  as  it  should  be,  he  observed  that 
something  had  happened,  and  that  they  looked  sad. 
He  inquired  the  reason  of  it,  and  they  told  him  that 
they  had  had  two  dreams  which  troubled  them  very 
much ;  and  the  more  so,  because  there  was  no  one 
who  could  interpret  the  dreams,  or  explain  their 
meaning,  and  what  they  might  foretell. 

"  Joseph  said  unto  them,  do  not  interpretations 
belong  to  God?  Tell  me  them,  I  pray  you."  . 

It  would  seem,  frori  this,  that  Joseph,  who  had 
had  some  very  rernarii^ie  dreams  himself,  was  one 
of  those  that  in  former  times  were  enabled  by  God 
to  explain  the  meaning  of  dreams,  and  to  tell  what 
future  events  they  predicted. 

The  chief  butler  told  Joseph  his  dream.  It  was 
the  following  :  He  dreamed  that  he  saw  a  grape-vine 
before  him,  which  had  three  branches.  The  buds 
grew,  and  the  blossoms  shot  forth  so  rapidly  that  it 
produced  clusters  of  ripe  grapes  in  a  few  moments 
of  time.  The  king's  cup  was  in  his  hand,  into 
which,  after  plucking  them,  he  pressed  the  juice  of 
the  grapes,  and  gave  the  cup  to  the  king. 

Joseph  gave  him  this  interpretation  of  his  dream. 
He  said  that  the  three  branches  represented  three 
days,  and  that  within  three  days  the  king  would 


60  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

lift  up  his  head,  and  restore  him  to  his  former  place, 
and  that  he  should  again  be  the  cup-bearer  of  the 
king,  and  hand  him  his  wine  to  drink. 

To  lift  up  the  head,  was  a  manner  of  speaking 
at  that  time,  and  afterward,  among  the  Jews,  the 
meaning  of  which  was,  to  raise  a  person  to  some 
kind  of  honor,  so  that  others  would  treat  him  with 
respect,  or  to  restore  him  to  an  office  which  he  had 
before  held. 

The  chief  butler  was  greatly  rejoiced  at  this  ex- 
planation of  his  dream,  and  that  he  should  so  soon 
be  removed  from  his  uncomfortable  and  disgraceful 
confinement,  and  experience  again  the  friendship  of 
the  king. 


CHAPTER   XL 

The  dream  of  the  chief  baker  and  its  interpretation. — What 
Joseph  foretells,  comes  to  pass. — Prophecy. — Sin  of  in- 
gratitude. 

WE  do  not  read  in  the  Bible  that  the  chief  butler 
expressed  any  thanks  to  Joseph  for  the  interpreta- 
tion of  his  dream ;  and  we  shall  find  out,  after  war  d* 
that  he  was  not  a  man  likely  to  do  this. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  61 

Joseph,  however,  asked  one  favor  of  him,  when 
he  should  be  restored  to  his  office,  and  enjoy  again 
the  opportunity  of  being  often  with  the  king. 

"  Think  on  me,"  said  he,  "  when  it  shall  be  well 
with  thee,  and  show  kindness,  I  pray  thee,  unto  me  ; 
and  make  mention  of  me  unto  Pharaoh,  and  bring 
me  out  of  this  house:  for,  indeed,  I  was  stolen 
away  out  of  the  land  of  the  Hebrews :  and  here, 
also,  I  have  done  nothing  that  they  should  put  me  into 
the  dungeon." 

I  will  just  tell  you,  as  we  go  along,  that  the  word 
dungeon  here,  or  rather  the  word  in  the  Hebrew 
language,  (in  which  the  Old  Testament  was  written,) 
means  any  place  of  confinement.  So  that  Joseph  on- 
ly said  that  he  was  in  prison.  He  was  not  in  bonds 
at  that  time,  nor  shut  up  close  in  any  room  or  cell. 

Afterward  the  chief  baker  told  his  dream.  He 
had  some  hopes,  from  the  favorable  interpretation 
which  Joseph  gave  of  that  of  his  companion  in  mis- 
fortune, that  his,  also,  might  foretell  good. 

He  said  he  dreamed  that  he  had  three  white 
baskets  on  his  head,  and  that,  in  the  uppermost 
basket,  there  was  all  manner  of  baked  meats  for 
the  king.  He  also  dreamed  that  the  birds  came 
and  ate  the  meat  out  of  the  basket. 

No  doubt  he  waited,  with  great  anxiety,  to  hear 
what  interpretation  Joseph  would  give  of  the  dream. 

L.  J.  6 


62  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

"  The  three  baskets,"  said  Joseph,  "  denote  three 
days,  and  within  that  time  the  king  will  lift  up  thy 
head  from  off  thee,  and  hang  thee  on  a  tree,  (or 
high  gibbet,  or  gallows,)  and  the  birds  shall  eat 
thy  flesh  from  off  thee."  • 

This  was  a  sad  interpretation  of  his  dream  to 
the  chief  baker ;  but  we  are  not  told  the  particular 
effect  which  it  had  upon  him. 

The  third  day  after  Joseph  gave  these  inter- 
pretations  of  the  dreams,  was  Pharaoh's  birth-day. 
It  was  a  day  of  much  rejoicing  in  the  king's  house, 
and  he  made  a  great  feast  for  all  his  officers,  and 
captains,  and  persons  who  did  his  business  and 
waited  on  him.  In  the  midst  of  this  festivity  he 
ordered  the  chief  butler  to  be  set  at  liberty  and 
restored  to  his  former  situation.  On  that  same  day 
he  became  again  the  king's  cup-bearer,  and  gave 
the  cup  of  wine  into  his  hand. 

On  that  same  day,  also,  the  chief  baker  was  hung, 
and  his  body  left  on  the  gallows,  to  be  devoured  by 
the  birds  of  heaven. 

Thus  Joseph  proved  to  be  a  true  interpreter  of  the 
dreams  which  were  told  him ;  which  shows  that  it 
was  God  who  instructed  him  how  to  make  the  inter- 
pretations. For  no  one  but  God,  or  some  person  to 
whom  he  sees  fit  to  communicate  it,  has  any  certain 
knowledge  of  future  events. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  63 

There  are  many  prophecies  in  the  Bible,  made 
before  the  things  which  they  predicted  came  to  pass. 
The  fulfillment  of  these  prophecies,  or,  what  means 
the  same  thing,  the  coming  to  pass  of  the  things  that 
were  foretold,  shows,  that  the  prophecies  must  have 
come  from  God,  and  that  the  Bible,  which  contains 
these  prophecies,  also  came  from  God,  and  is  all 
true. 

We  are  told,  that  after  being  restored  to  his  office, 
the  chief  butler  did  not  remember  Joseph.  He  quite 
forgot  all  his  kindness  to  him  while  under  his  care  in 
the  prison  ;  the  relief  and  joy  which  were  afforded 
him  in  the  interpretation  of  his  dream ;  and  the  re- 
quest which  Joseph  made,  that  he  would  mention  his 
case,  the  circumstances  of  his  history,  and  especially 
his  innocence,  to  the  king. 

This  forgetfulness  shows  the  great  ingratitude  of 
the  chief  butler,  and  how  little  feeling  he  had  for 
others,  if  he  himself  could  only  be  delivered  from 
trouble  and  suffering. 

Alas !  how  many  such  persons  there  are  in  the 
world,  eager  after  their  own  happiness,  unmindful 
of  that  of  others !  Children,  too,  sometimes  forget 
their  own  parents,  and  all  their  kindness ;  and  ne- 
glect them  in  sickness,  or  in  old  age;  and  show 
what  ungrateful  and  wicked  hearts  they  have  ! 

Can  it  be,  my  dear  children,  that  this  is  true  of  any 


64  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

of  you  ?  Think  a  little.  Are  you  truly  grateful  to 
your  parents  ?  Do  you  remember  all  their  past  kind- 
ness to  you?  Do  you  love  and  obey  them?  Do  you 
do  all  that  you  can  to  make  them  happy  ? 

Hear  what  God  says  on  this  subject,  in  the  Bible, 
and  may  it  sink  deep  into  your  hearts. 

"  Cursed  be  he  that  setteth  light  by  his  father  or 
his  mother,  and  all  the  people  shall  say,  Amen." 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Pharaoh's  dreams. — He  sends  for  Joseph.— Joseph's  humi- 
lity.— We  should  not  receive  the  approbation  which  is 
due  to  others,  or  which  we  do  not  deserve. 

ABOUT  two  years  after  the  chief  butler  was  restor- 
ed to  his  office,  and  while  Joseph,  forgotten  by  him, 
was  still  in  prison,  Pharaoh  had  two  very  singular 
dreams  on  the  same  night. 

He  dreamed  that  he  was  walking  by  the  side  of 
the  river  Nile,  and  saw  seven  fat  and  good-looking 
cows  come  up  out  of  the  river,  and  feed  in  the  mea- 
dows near  its  banks.  Seven  others,  miserably  poor, 
and  disagreeable  in  their  appearar  :e,  carne  up  also 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  65 

out  of  the  river,  and  stood  near  the  fat  ones.  And, 
strange  to  behold,  they  soon  attacked  the  fat  ones, 
and  entirely  devoured  them.  But  notwithstanding 
this,  they  seemed  just  as  poor  and  ill-looking  as 
before. 

The  king  awoke,  but  soon  fell  asleep  again,  and 
had  another  dream  quite  as  strange  as  the  first  one. 

He  dreamed  that  he  saw  seven  ears  of  gram  grow 
out  of  one  stalk,  all  full  and  good ;  and  that  imme- 
diately after,  seven  other  ears,  withered,  thin,  and 
blasted  with  the  east  wind,  sprung  up,  and  devour- 
ed the  full  ones. 

Pharaoh  was  much  troubled,  the  next  morning, 
on  account  of  these  dreams.  For  he  thought  that 
probably  they  had  some  meaning  which  it  was  very 
important  for  him  to  understand. 

So  he  sent  for  all  the  magicians  of  Egypt,  and  for 
all  the  wise  men,  to  see  if  they  could  interpret 
his  dreams,  which  he  related  to  them. 

These  magicians  and  wrise  men  were  persons 
who  pretended,  in  some  strange*  way,  to  explain 
dreams,  and  foretell  future  events ;  though  they 
knew,  at  the  time,  it  was  all  a  deception.  But,  often 
as  they  had  imposed  upon  others,  and  made  some 
sort  of  guessing  about  what  their  dreams  meant, 
they  did  not  dare  to  run  the  risk  of  trying  to  inter- 
pret those  of  the  king. 


66  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

So  they  confessed  that  they  were  entirely  at  a 
loss  to  know  what  his  strange  dreams  meant,  and 
he  was  in  greater  perplexity  than  ever. 

It  was  now  that,  for  the  first  time,  the  chief  butler 
thought  of  Joseph,  and  remembered  his  request,  that 
he  would  mention  him  to  the  king. 

He  seemed  to  have  some  faint  emotions  of  grati- 
tude waked  up  within  his  bosom.  For,  after  having 
said  to  the  king,  "  I  do  remember  my  faults  this 
day,"  he  went  on  to  state  the  circumstances  of  Jo- 
seph's interpreting  his  dream  and  that  of  the  chief 
baker,  when  they  were  confined  in  prison. 

The  king  was  much  struck  with  the  account,  and 
with  the  wisdom  of  Joseph  in  understanding  so  ex- 
actly what  the  dreams  predicted ;  and  he  ordered 
Joseph  to  be  brought  immediately  before  him. 

Having  prepared  himself  in  a  neat  and  suitable 
manner,  Joseph  went  to  the  king's  dwelling,  and 
was  introduced  into  his  presence. 

He  told  Joseph  about  his  dreams  and  that  none 
were  able  to  interpret  them,  and  observed,  at  the 
same  time,  "  I  have  heard  say  of  thee,  that  thou 
canst  understand  a  dream,  to  interpret  it." 

The  king  supposed  that  it  was  by  his  own  skill 
that  Joseph  could  do  this ;  in  some  such  way  as  the 
magicians  and  wise  men  often"  pretended  to  do  it. 
He  knew  not  the  true  God,  and  that  he  alone,  or  the 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  67 

persons  whom  he  instructed,  could  look  into  futuri- 
ty, and  foretell  what  was  to  happen. 

Joseph  might  have  let  the  king  continue  to  think 
so,  and  thus  have  acquired  great  honor  and  praise, 
in  his  estimation,  and  in  that  of  all  his  officers,  and 
the  Egyptians.  But  he  feared  God.  He  did  not  dare 
to  let  others  think  that  it  was  by  his  own  wisdom 
he  could  interpret  dreams,  when  he  knew  that  it  was 
God  alone  who  enabled  him  to  do  it,  and  that,  there- 
fore, God  should  have  all  the  glory. 

"  And  Joseph  answered  Pharaoh,  saying ;  It  is 
not  in  me :  God  shall  give  Pharaoh  an  answer  of 
peace." 

It  is  not  in  me.  Remember  this  saying  of  Joseph. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  others  may  think  you 
have  done  some  good  thing,  when,  in  truth,  some- 
body else  did  it.  Or,  you  may  have  more  praise  for 
doing  a  thing  than  you  really  deserve ;  for  somebody 
else  may  have  helped  you  to  do  it.  Or,  you  may  be 
supposed  to  know  something,  when  you  are  really 
quite  ignorant  about  it.  You  are  tempted  to  let 
others  think  more  highly  of  you  tharf  they  ought, 
and -to  have  your  vanity  gratified;  and  thus  to  be 
the  means  of  depriving  some  one  else  of  the  esteem, 
or  praise,  that  is  justly  his  due. 

I  have  often  seen  this  among  children  in  a  family, 
and  among  pupils  at  school. 


DO  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

It  is  all  wrong.  It  is  a  violation  of  the  tenth  com- 
mandment, which  forbids  us  to  covet  what  belongs 
to  another.  It  is  a  violation  of  the  eighth  command- 
ment, which  forbids  us  to  steal.  For  it  is  truly  a 
kind  of  theft,  a  secretly  taking  away  from  another 
that  to  which  he  is  justly  entitled. 

When  you  find  yourself  tempted  to  do  so,  remem- 
ber the  example  and  saying  of  Joseph.  Frankly  state 
the  exact  truth  about  the  matter.  Say,  it  is  not  in 
me.  Tell  just  how  much  you  did,  and  how  much  you 
did  not  do ;  how  much  you  know,  and  how  much 
you  do  not  know;  how  much  you  were  aided  by 
others,  and  how  much  is  fairly  due  to  them. 

Remember,  that  although  you  may,  at  such  a 
time,  deceive  your  fellow-men,  (as  Joseph,  had  he 
chosen,  might  have  deceived  Pharaoh,)  you  cannot 
deceive  God.  For  he  knows  what  is  in  you ;  your 
most  secret  thoughts  and  feelings,  as  well  as  all  your 
conversation  and  conduct. 

"  Think  not  more  highly  of  yourselves  than  you 
ought  to  think.  In  lowliness  of  mind,  let  each  esteem 
other  better  than  themselves." 

"  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble." 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER 


Joseph's  interpretation  of  Pharaoh's  dreams. — Pharaoh 
makes  him  governor  of  Egypt. — Joseph's  new  name. — 
His  marriage. — A  regard  to  truth  and  duty  the  surest 
way  of  securing  the  confidence  of  others. 

AFTER  Pharaoh  had  related  his  dreams  to  Jo- 
seph, the  latter  replied ;  "  The  dream  of  Pharaoh  is 
one ;  God  hath  showed  Pharaoh  what  he  is  about 
to  do." 


Joseph  then  went  on  to  explain  the  dreams  parti- 
cularly, and  to  show  what  they  denoted. 


70  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Both  the  seven  good  kine,  and  the  seven  good  ears 
of  grain,  represented  seven  years  of  great  plenty 
throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  During  this  pe- 
riod the  earth  would  bring  forth  every  thing  in  rich 
abundance,  and  much  more  than  would  be  neces- 
sary for  all  the  people,  and  for  the  animals  which 
they  kept. 

The  devouring  of  the  seven  good  kine  by  the  se- 
ven poor  ones,  and  of  the  seven  full  ears  by  the  seven 
withered  ones,  denoted  that  the  seven  years  of  plen- 
ty would  be  succeeded  by  seven  others  of  famine ; 
that  the  earth,  during  this  period,  would  yield  little 
or 'nothing ;  that  the  want  of  food  would  be  very 
grievous ;  and  that  whatever  could  be  spared  from 
the  abundance  of  the  preceding  seven  years,  would 
all  be  consumed  during  those  of  famine. 

Joseph  then  added,  that  the  foretelling  of  these 
events  by  two  similar  dreams,  was  to  show  that 
God  would  certainly  bring  it  all  to  pass,  and  in  a 
short  space  of  time. 

In  concluding,  Joseph  advised  Pharaoh  to  ap- 
point officers  who  should  have  authority  through- 
out the  whole  country,  to  take  one  fifth  part  of  the 
crops  during  the  seven  plenteous  years,  and  lay  it 
up  in  store-houses  in  the  different  cities.  Then, 
during  the  seven  years  of  famine,  there  would  be  a 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  71 

supply  for  the  people,  and  they  would  not  perish 
with  hunger. 

This  advice  of  Joseph  was  much  approved  by 
the  king,  and  by  those  who  assisted  him  in  carry- 
ing on  his  government ;  and  he  observed  that  he 
thought  a  better  man  to  conduct  the  whole  busi- 
ness could  not  be  found  than  Joseph — in  whom, 
said  he,  the  Spirit  of  God  is. 

"  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  Forasmuch  as 
God  hath  showed  thee  all  this,  there  is  none  so 
discreet  and  wise  as  thou  art.  Thou  shalt  be  over 
my  house,  and  according  unto  thy  word  shall  all 
my  people  be  ruled :  only  in  the  throne  will  I  be 
greater  than  thou.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph, 
See,  I  have  set  thee  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 

After  saying  this,  Pharaoh  took  off  the  beautiful 
and  costly  ring  which  he  wore,  and  put  it  on  Jo- 
seph's finger,  and  had  him  clad  in  garments  of  fine 
linen,  and  put  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck.  All 
this  was  to  show  the  great  authority  which  the 
king  conferred  upon  Joseph,  and  the  respect  with 
which  he  was  to  be  treated. 

He  also  ordered  Joseph  to  ride  in  the  second 
chariot,  next  his  own,  and  they  cried  before  him, 
Bow  the  knee ;  and  he  was  made  ruler  over  all  the 
land  of  Egypt,  with  authority  of  a  very  absolute 
kind,  and  second  only  to  that  of  the  king. 


72  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

In  addition  to  this,  Pharaoh  gave  Joseph  a  new 
name.  This  was  an  ancient  custom  among  the 
eastern  nations,  when  the  kings  chose  any  one,  and 
especially  a  foreigner,  to  be  high  in  office  and  honor. 

The  name  which  was  thus  given  to  Joseph,  was 
Zaphnath-paaneah. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  with  regard  to 
the  meaning  of  this  name.  Some  think  that  it 
means,  a  revealer  of  secrets,  and  that  it  was  given 
to  Joseph  on  account  of  the  great  wisdom  which  he 
discovered  in  the  interpretation  of  the  dreams, 
and  of  his  spirit  of  prophecy  in  foretelling  future 
events. 

Others  think  that  it  was  an  Egyptian  word, 
meaning,  Savior  of  the  world,  a  high-sounding 
title,  (such  as  eastern  nations  are  very  fond  of 
using,)  to  shew  the  great  good  which  a  man  of 
Joseph's  character  would  do  to  the  whole  nation. 

Pharaoh  also  provided  him  a  wife  from  a  very 
distinguished  family.  Her  name  was  Asenath,  the 
daughter  of  Potipherah,  priest,  or  prince,  of  On, 
which  was  a  famous  city  in  Egypt,  over  which, 
and  the  adjoining  country,  it  is  probable  he  was  the 
ruler. 

In  this  elevation  of  Joseph  to  such  great  autho- 
rity and  honor,  it  is  worthy  of  particular  notice 
that  Pharaoh  approved  of  him,  because  the  Spirit  of 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  73 

God  was  in  him  ;  and  that  he  considered  his  ad- 
vice so  discreet  and  wise,  because  God  had  in- 
structed him. 

Pharaoh  knew,  indeed,  little,  or  nothing,  of  the 
true  God  in  whom  Joseph  believed ;  but  he  saw 
something  very  striking  in  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  this  young  Hebrew.  He  heard  Joseph  say, 
It  is  not  in  me  :  God  shall  give  Pharaoh  an  an- 
swer of  peace.  He  respected  Joseph  for  this,  and 
felt  the  greatest  confidence  in  him. 

Remember  that  nothing  gains  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  others,  and  even  of  the  most  wicked 
men,  so  surely  as  a  strict  regard  to  truth,  and  to  the 
obligations  which  we  owe  to  God. 

Let  tho.se  with  whom  you  have  any  thing  to  do, 
see  that  you  fear  God,  and  intend  to  look  to  him  for 
instruction  and  guidance  in  the  discharge  of  your 
duty ;  and  the  more  your  real  character  is  known, 
the  more  you  will  gain  that  regard  and  esteem 
which  will  be  uniform  and  lasting. 

Others  will  be  willing  to  trust  you  in  the  va- 
,  rious  concerns  of  life. 

And  though  you  may  never  be  called  to  stations 
of  great  authority  and  honor,  as  Joseph  was,  it  will 
be  worth  a  great  deal  to  you,  and  a  source  of  the 

I      highest  inward  satisfaction,  to  have  this  esteem  and 
confidence  of  your  fellow-men,   in  the   humblest 
L.    J.  7 


74.  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

station ;  and  to  know  that  you  have  it,  because  you 
endeavor,  with  the  aid  of  his  grace,  to  fear  God  and 
keep  his  commandments. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Providence  of  God. — Our  duty  to  submit  to  it,  and  to  trust 
in  it. — Joseph  lays  up  the  grain. — His  two  sons,  reasons 
of  their  names. — The  famine  begins. 

How  wonderful  were  the  steps  which  raised 
Joseph  from  being  the  son  of  a  husbandman  in  Ca- 
naan, and  thirteen  years  in  bondage,  to  the  office  of 
governor  of  Egypt,  and  next  in  authority  to  the 
king  of  that  great  country  ! 

In  looking  back  upon  these  steps,  how  much  we 
have  to  admire  the  providence  of  God,  in  bringing 
good  out  of  evil,  and  in  overruling  the  wicked  pas- 
sions of  man,  so  as  to  accomplish  his  own  wise  and 
benevolent  purposes ! 

I  refer  to  this  subject  thus  often,  my  dear  chil- 
dren, that  it  may  be  fresh  in  your  minds,  as  we 
pass  from  one  event  to  another  in  the  history  of 
Joseph.  For  no  one  truth  ought  to  be  more  deeply 
felt  by  you  than  that  of  this  overruling  providence 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  75 

of  God.  Study  it  as  you  read  other  parts  of  the 
Bible,  and  the  histories  of  nations  and  of  indivi- 
duals. Study  it  in  the  history  of  your  own  lives, 
and  in  those  of  your  friends. 

If  you  truly  love  God  and  put  your  trust  in  him, 
this  doctrine  of  his  providence  will  be  to  you  a 
source  of  constant  comfort  and  support. 

Knowing  that  nothing  happens  without  his 
knowledge  and  permission,  and  that  his  govern- 
ment reaches  to  the  smallest  things  as  well  as  to 
the  greatest,  you  will  always  feel  safe  under  his 
care — just  as  a  little  child  feels  safe  in  the  arms  of 
a  kind  father  or  mother. 

4  We  are  taught  in  the  Bible,  that  all  things  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God  ;  all  things, 
prosperity  or  adversity,  health  or  sickness,  life  or 
death.  It  was  so  in  the  case  of  Joseph.  It  will  be 
so  in  yours,  if  you  do,  indeed,  love  God,  and  put 
your  trust  in  him.  Even  in  this  world  you  will 
find  many  things  which  at  first  appear  very  dis- 
couraging, and  give  you  much  pain  and  trouble, 
afterward  so  overruled  by  the  providence  of  God, 
as  to  work  together  for  your  comfort  and  happiness. 
And  if  they  do  not,  and  you  are  still  called  on  to 
endure  various  kinds  of  sufferings  and  trials,  bear 
them  with  submission  and  patience.  God  sees  that 
his  children  need  such  chastisements,  just  as  a  kind 


76  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

father  sees  that  his  sick  child  needs  medicine  to  re- 
store him  to  health.  These  sufferings  and  trials,  if 
you  beseech  God  to  give  you  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
you  may  make  a  wise  use  of  them,  will  do  your 
soul  good.  They  will  work  together  to  increase 
your  love  to  God,  and  your  faith  in  Christ,  and 
your  imitation  of  his  hlessed  example.  They  will 
prepare  you  for  a  peaceful  death,  and  for  greater 
happiness  in  heayen. 

Study,  then,  the  providence  of  God,  and  learn 
every  day  that  you  live  to  get  both  wisdom  and 
comfort  from  it. 

Joseph,  himself,  had  still  further  reason  to  ad- 
mire this  providence  of  God,  and  to  trust  in  it. 

When  he  was  made  governor  of  Egypt  he  was 
about  thirty  years  old.  He  soon  entered  upon  the 
discharge  of  his  arduous  duties.  He  left  the  king 
and  took  a  journey  throughout  the  whole  land. 

This  enabled  him  to  see  the  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  do  those  things  which  were  necessary 
to  prepare  for  the  seven  years  of  famine  that  would 
be  soon  at  hand. 

During  the  seven  years  of  plenty,  the  earth 
brought  forth  every  thing  in  great  abundance. 
God  ordered  it  so,  as  Joseph  told  Pharaoh  it  would 
be.  It  was  his  kind  providence  which  made  every 
thing  work  together — the  sunshine  and  rain,  the 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  77 

clouds,  and  winds,  and  storms  ;  the  planting  of  the 
seeds,  their  growing  up  to  ripeness,  and  their  in- 
gathering in  the  time  of  harvest ;  the  health  and 
strength  of  the  inhabitants,  and  their  willing- 
ness and  ability  to  labor ;  it  was  the  kind  provi- 
dence of  God  which  made  all  these  things  "  \vork 
together,"  so  as  to  produce  such  plenty  throughout 
the  whole  land,  that  we  are  told  that  Joseph  ga- 


thered  in  the  grain  "  as  the  sand  of  the  sea."    He 
began  to  keep  an  account  of  it,  to  find  how  many 
bushels  there  were ;  but  it  came  in  in  such  quanti- 
ties that  he  left  off  numbering  it. 
L.  j.  7* 


78  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

He  laid  it  up  in  store-houses  in  the  cities,  and 
doubtless,  appointed  suitable  officers  under  him,  to 
take  care  of  it,  that  it  might  be  kept  in  safety  for  the 
future  supply  of  the  people. 

Before  the  years  of  famine  came,  Joseph  had 
two  sons,  Manasseh  and  Ephraim. 

Manasseh  is  a  word  which  means,  causing  to 
forget.  Joseph  gave  this  name  to  his  eldest  son, 
"  for  God,"  said  he,  "  hath  made  me  forget  all  my 
toil,  and  all  my  father's  house;"  that  is,  the  va- 
rious trials  and  sufferings  which  I  have  undergone 
here,  in  Egypt,  and  also  those  which  I  endured 
while  at  home,  from  my  envious  and  cruel  brethren. 

His  other  son,  Joseph  called  Ephraim,  because 
this  word  means-,  made  fruitful.  "  For  God,"  said 
he,  "  hath  caused  me  to  be  fruitful  in  the  land  of  my 
affliction."  . 

It  was,  doubtless,  a  great  comfort  to  him  to  be  the 
father  of  these  two  sons,  and  to  have  a  family  of  his 
own ;  separated,  as  he  was,  such  a  great  distance 
from  his  father,  and  from  all  the  delights  and  privi- 
leges of  his  father's  house. 

At  length  the  seven  years  of  plenty  were  ended, 
and  those  of  famine  came. 

This  famine  extended,  not  only  over  all  the  land 
of  Egypt,  but  through  other  lands.  Every  where 
else,  it  was  very  grievous,  and  the  people  found  it 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  79 

exceedingly  difficult  to  procure  food  enough  to  keep 
them  in  life  ;  but  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  there  was 
enough  laid  up  for  the  supply  of  its  inhabitants. 

As  soon  as  the  Egyptians  began  to  be  in  great 
want  of  food,  having  consumed  all  which  they  them- 
selves had  laid  up  in  their  own  houses,  "  they  cried 
to  Pharaoh  for  bread:  and  Pharaoh  said  unto  all 
the  Egyptians,  Go  unto  Joseph;  what  he  saith  to 
you,  do." 


CHAPTER    XV. 

The  Egyptians  regard  Joseph  as  their  Savior. — Jesus  Christ 
a  far  better  Savior. — The  Egyptians  buy  grain  of  Joseph. 
—The  famine  in  Canaan. — Jacob  sends  his  sons  to  Egypt 
to  buy  food. 

JOSEPH,  at  this  time,  must  have  been  regarded  as 
being,  to  the  Egyptians,  what  the  new  name  given  to 
him  by  Pharaoh,  probably  implied.  And  as  they 
bowed  the  knee  before  him  in  their  necessity,  and 
looked  to  him  for  the  food  which  they  and  their  fa- 
milies so  much  needed,  and  addressed  him  by  the 
title  of  Zaphnath-paaneah,  they  might  well  feel 
that  he  was  their  Savior. 


80  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

I  do  not  mean,  in  the  sense  in  which  we  call  Jesus 
Christ  the  Savior  of  the  world ;  to  save  men  from 
their  sins,  and  the  eternal  death  of  the  soul;  and 
to  furnish  them  with  divine  truth,  and  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  heavenly  food  which  will 
nourish  the  soul,  and  cause  it  to  live  for  ever  in  a 
better  and  happier  world. 

Alas  !  the  poor,  ignorant  Egyptians,  I  fear,  cared 
very  little  about  their  souls,  or  to  find  out  how  they 
might  be  saved,  and  how  heavenly  food  was  to  be 
procured  for  their  nourishment. 

The  most,  if  not  all,  that  they  were  anxious  for, 
was  to  be  saved  from  the  famine  which  was  so  dread- 
ful ;  and  when  they  found  that  Joseph  had  the  means 
of  saving  them  from  it,  they,  doubtless,  looked  up  to 
him  as  their  best  friend,  their  great  deliverer,  their 
powerful  Savior,  their  Zaphnath-paaneah. 

Here  I  would  make  one  single  inquiry.  Are  you 
as  willing  and  as  ready  to  go  to  Jesus  Christ,  to  be 
saved  from  spiritual  famine,  from  the  eternal  death 
of  the  soul ;  as  the  Egyptians  were  to  go  to  Joseph, 
to  be  saved  from  the  famine  which  they  endured,  and 
from  the  death  of  the  mere  body  ?  I  put  the  question. 
You  must  think  about  it,  and  answer  it. 

Joseph  opened  all  the  store-houses  in  the  different 
cities  in  which  the  grain  had  been  safely  laid  up 
during  the  seven  years  of  plenty,  and  sold  it  unto 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  81 

the  Egyptians ;  so  that  they  could  feed  themselves 
and  their  families. 

How  glad  many  a  poor,  and  almost  starving,  lit- 
tle boy  and  girl  must  have  been,  to  see  their  father 
bringing  the  grain  home,  from  which  their  mother 
could  make  them  some  bread ! 

Think  of  the  abundance,  my  dear  children,  which 
you  have,  and  of  the  store-house  from  which  it  all 
comes,  the  overflowing  bounty  of  your  Father  who 
is  in  heaven;  and  show  your  gratitude  to  him  by 
your  obedience  to  his  commands. 

Not  only  the  Egyptians,  but  people  who  lived  in 
other  countries  where  the  famine  prevailed,  came  in- 
to Egypt  to  buy  grain  of  Joseph.  So  that,  in  this 
way,  his  wisdom  and  industry,  under  the  guidance 
of  God,  who  taught  him  the  meaning  of  Pharaoh's 
dreams,  were  the  means  of  saving  the  lives  of  a 
great  many. 

Yes ;  in  the  wonderful  providence  of  God,  Joseph 
was  soon  to  be  instrumental  in  saving  the  lives  of  his 
own  beloved  father  and  family,  and  of  the  very  bre- 
thren who  had  treated  him  so  cruelly,  and  of  their 
families. 

For  the  famine  extended  to  Judea,  the  country 
where  Jacob  lived,  and  the  people  there  were  suf- 
fering greatly  from  it.  In  the  midst  of  their  distress, 
Jacob  heard  that  grain  could  be  bought  in  Egypt, 


82  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

and  determined  to  send  thither  for  a  supply.  He 
called  his  sons  together,  and  asked  them  why  they 
looked  one  upon  another  in  so  much  sadness  and  de- 
spondency, as  if  nothing  could  be  done  for  their  re- 
lief. He  told  them  he  had  heard  that  grain  could 
be  procured  in  Egypt,  and  that  they  must  go  thither 
and  buy  some,  to  save  himself,  and  all  of  them,  from 
the  death  which  must  otherwise  inevitably  over- 
take them. 

It  is  probable  that  Jacob  and  his  family,  and  his 
sons  and  their  families,  all  lived,  at  that  time,  very 
near  each  other,  and  that  they  formed,  as  it  were,  one 
great  family,  of  which  Jacob  was  the  patriarch,  or 
head.  They  had  one  common  interest :  and  suffer- 
ing together  for  the  want  of  food,  it  was  necessary  to 
make  one  great  and  vigorous  effort  for  their  mutual 
relief. 

It  was  a  long  journey  of  several  hundred  miles  to 
Egypt,  and  it  would  be  attended  with  great  inconve- 
nience for  the  sons  of  Jacob  to  go  such  a  distance. 
But  there  was  no  other  way  of  procuring  food;  and 
all  but  Benjamin  concluded  to  go. 

Benjamin  was  the  younger  brother  of  Joseph,  and 
born,  you  recollect,  just  before  their  mother  Rachel 
died.  There  were  many  circumstances,  the  recollec- 
tion of  which  endeared  the  memory  of  Rachel  to 
Jacob.  He  loved  her  first ;  and  he  loved  her  the 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  83 

best  of  all  his  wives.  He  had,  of  course,  a  great  fond- 
ness for  her  children  ;  and  as  Joseph,  as  he  believ- 
ed, was  dead,  he  could  not  bear  to  have  Benjamin 
leave  home,  lest  some  injury  might  befall  him. 

It  is  not  surprising  at  all,  that  Jacob  should  feel 
thus  tenderly  toward  Benjamin,  when  we  consider 
that  he  was  now  far  advanced  in  life,  being  nearly 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years  old.  But  a  few  years 
before,  he  had  buried  his  father  Isaac,  in  the  cave  at 
Machpelah,  by  the  side  of  Abraham  and  Sarah.  He 
was  himself  drawing- nigh  the  close  of  life,  and  feel- 
ing more  sensibly  his  feebleness,  and  the  need  of 
some  one  to  comfort  him,  Benjamin  had  taken  the 
place  of  Joseph  in  his  affections,  and  while  he 
mourned  over  the  loss  of  the  son  whom  he  thought 
the  wild  beasts  had  devoured,  he  pressed  his  brother 
more  closely  to  his  bosom,  and  leaned  on  him  as  the 
support  and  consolation  of  his  declining  years. 

Do  you  suppose  that  the  brethren  of  Joseph, 
on  their  way  to  Egypt,  thought  that,  as  the  Ishmael- 
ites,  to  whom  they  sold  him,  went  to  that  country, 
it  was  possible  they  might  meet  him  there  ?  It 
certainly  would  not  be  strange  if  some  such  thoughts 
passed  through  their  minds  :  though  they  would  ex- 
pect to  find  him  still  a  slave,  or  in  some  very  hum- 
ble station  in  life.  Should  they  meet  with  any  one, 
high  in  power  and  rank,  who  might  bear  even  a 


84  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

considerable  resemblance  to  their  brother,  it  is  not 
probable  that  they  would  suspect  that  he  was  Joseph. 
For  it  would  seem  to  them  utterly  impossible  for 
one  sold  as  a  slave,  and  a  foreigner  too,  in  a  land  of 
strangers,  to  rise  to  such  an  elevation. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

His  brethren  bow  down  before  Joseph, — Why  he  did  not 
make  himself  known  to  them* — He  puts  them  into  prison. 
— He  tells  them  they  may  carry  grain  home  ;  but  one 
must  stay  in  prison  till  Benjamin  be  brought. 

ON  their  arrival  in  Egypt,  after  making  inquiry 
how  they  could  procure  some  grain,  they  found  that 
they  must  apply  to  Zaphnath-paaneah,  who  was  go- 
vernor over  the  whole  land,  and  had  the  distribution 
and  selling  of  the  grain  entirely  under  his  own  di- 
rection. 

On  going  to  the  place  of  his  residence,  they  were 
introduced  into  his  presence*  As  they  approached 
him,  they  bowed  down  themselves  before  him,  with 
their  faces  to  the  earth.  This  they  did,  as  it  is  still  the 
custom  to  do  among  the  nations  of  the  east,  to  show 
the  deep  reverence  which  they  felt  for  one  whom 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  85 

they  thus  acknowledged  to  be  very,  very  high  above 
them  in  rank  and  power. 

The  dream  of  Joseph  now  received  its  fulfillment. 
The  sheaves  of  his  brethren  had  bowed  down  before 
his  sheaf;  and  now  they,  themselves,  in  like  man- 
ner, bow  down  in  his  presence,  and  are  dependent 
on  him,  to  save  them  and  their  aged  father,  and  their 
whole  family,  from  perishing  with  hunger  ! 

They  rose  up,  and  stood  before  Joseph.  They  had 
no  thought  whatever  of  his  being  their  brother.  But 
he  knew  them,  and  if  he  had  chosen,  might  have 
taken  the  deepest  revenge  for  all  the  injuries  they 
had  inflicted  upon  him. 

But  such  was  not  his  disposition.  He  knew  how 
to  return  good  for  evil,  and  intended  to  do  the  great- 
est kindness  to  them,  and  to  his  aged  father. 

In  bringing  this  about,  however,  he  thought  it 
best  not  to  make  himself,  at  once,  known  to  them. 
He  remembered  his  dreams,  and  saw  now  their  ful- 
fillment in  part.  He  expected  that,  in  the  providence 
of  God,  he  was  to  be  instrumental  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  still  further  wonderful  events,  also  connect- 
ed with  his  dreams.  He  seems  to  have  wished  to  try 
his  brethren,  and  perhaps  to  prepare  them  for  a  more 
sincere  repentance  for  their  former  cruelty  toward 
him.  In  addition  to  this,  he  perceived  that  his  young- 

L.  j.  8 


86  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

est  brother  Benjamin,  whom  he  loved  so  tenderly, 
was  not  among  them. 

He  feared,  perhaps,  that  they  had  conceived  a 
dreadful  hatred  against  him  also,  as  being  a  fa- 
vorite son  of  their  father,  and  had  possibly  taken 
his  life.  He  knew  that,  if  they  had  done  this,  and  if 
he  should  make  any  direct  inquiries  about  Benja- 
min, they  would  not  tell  him  the  truth,  but  contrive 
some  falsehood  to  deceive  him,  as  they  had  former- 
ly deceived  their  father. 

For  these  reasons,  or  for  some  others  which  we 
do  not  fully  understand,  Joseph  not  only  did  not 
make  himself  known  to  his  brethren,  but  acted  to- 
ward them  as  if  he  did  not  know,  at  all,  who  they 
were. 

He  even  put  on  a  strange  and  rough  manner, 
that  he  might  the  more  effectually  conceal  himself 
and  carry  his  plans  into  effect. 

He  asked  them  from  what  country  they  came. 
And  when  they  said,  from  Canaan,  to  buy  food,  he 
charged  them  with  being  spies,  and  said  that  they 
had  come  to  see  the  poverty  and  weakness  of  Egypt, 
that  they  might  carry  word  back  to  some  large  and 
powerful  people  who  wished  to  come  and  plunder 
the  Egyptians,  and  perhaps  to  conquer  them  and  get 
possession  of  their  country. 

To  this  the  sons  of  Jacob  replied,  that  they  were 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  87 

very  far,  indeed,  from  being  spies,  or  from  coming 
to  Egypt  with  any  such  design. 

"  Nay,"  said  they,  "  my  lord,  but  to  buy  food  are 
thy  servants  come.  We  are  all  one  man's  sons ;" 
as  if  they  had  said,  we  do  not  belong  to  any  power- 
ful tribe  or  nation,  but  are  a  small  number  of  peo- 
ple— a  single  family — under  one  patriarch  or  head. 
"  We  are  true  men  ;  thy  servants  are  no  spies." 

On  Joseph's  repeating  his  former  accusation, 
they  again  replied,  that  they  belonged  to  a  family 
of  twelve  brethren,  the  sons  of  one  man  in  the  land 
of  Canaan ;  that  the  youngest  was  at  home  with 
their  father,  and  that  the  other  brother  was  not. 

Whether  they  meant,  by  this  latter  expression,  to 
avoid  telling  a  downright  falsehood,  it  may  be  dif- 
ficult to  determine.  But  if  they  did,  it  was  a  poor 
way  of  doing  it.  They  must  have  known  that  they 
would  be  understood  to  say  that  their  brother  was 
dead :  and  this  made  it  a  falsehood,  no  matter  what 
the  language  was. 

Joseph  still  appeared  wholly  unwilling  to  believe 
what  they  said,  and  told  them  that  there  was  one 
way  by  which  he  would  prove  whether  they  spoke 
the  truth  or  not. 

"  By  the  life  of  Pharaoh,"  said  he,  (or,  as  sure  as 
Pharaoh  is  alive,)  "  ye  shall  not  go  forth  hence, 
except  your  youngest  brother  come  hither.  Send 


88  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

one  of  you,  and  let  him  fetch  your  hrother;  and  ye 
shall  be  kept  in  prison,  that  your  words  may  be 
proved,  whether  there  be  any  truth  in  you  :  or  else, 
by  the  life  of  Pharaoh,  surely  ye  are  spies." 

Joseph  then  put  them  all  into  prison  for  three 
days.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  said  to  them, 
"  this  do,  and  live :  for  I  fear  God.  If  ye  be  true 
men,  let  one  of  your  brethren  be  bound  in  the  house 
of  your  prison  :  go  ye,  carry  corn  (or  grain)  for 
the  famine  in  your  houses  (or  families:)  but  bring 
your  youngest  brother  unto  me ;  so  shall  your 
words  be  verified,  (or  be  shown  to  be  true,)  and  ye 
shall  not  die." 

Their  former  guilt  now  rose  up  before  them, 
and,  although  more  than  twenty  years  had  elapsed 
since  they  sold  their  brother  as  a  slave,  the  recol- 
lection of  that  wicked  and  cruel  transaction  began 
to  arouse  their  consciences,  and  they  felt  something 
of  the  bitterness  of  remorse. 

They  saw  that  they  were  in  trouble.  They  knew 
not  what  the  result  would  be.  They  felt  that  all 
that  they  might  suffer  would  be  less  than  they 
deserved  ;  and  they  feared  that  God  was  about  to 
take  vengeance  upon  them  for  their  treatment  of 
Joseph. 

They  began  to  express  their  feelings  to  each 
other.  "We  are  verily  guilty,"  said  they,  "con- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  89 

cerning  our  brother,  in  that  we  saw  the  anguish  of 
his  soul  when  he  besought  us,  and  we  would  not 
hear  ;  therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon  us.  And 
Reuben  answered  them,  saying,  spake  I  not  unto 
you,  saying  do  not  sin  against  the  child,  and  ye  would 
not  hear  ?  Therefore,  behold,  also,  his  blood  is  re- 
quired ;"  (or  God  is  about  to  demand  of  you  why 
you  exposed  him,  perhaps,  to  an  untimely  death; 
and  to  inflict  upon  you,  for  doing  so,  the  severest 
punishment.) 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

Joseph  affected  at  what  liis  brethren  say  of  their  guilt. — Si- 
meon chosen  as  the  one  to  stay. — Joseph's  brethren  set 
out  for  Canaan  with  the  grain. — Difference  between  good 
and  wicked  men. — To  which  class  does  the  reader  be- 
long 1  Let  conscience  do  its  work. 

JOSEPH  heard  the  conversation  of  his  brethren, 
and  understood  it  all :  though  they  did  not  suppose 
so.  For  he  had  been  speaking  to  them  by  an  inter- 
preter; who  explained  what  Joseph  said  in  the 
Egyptian  language,  to  them  in  Hebrew,  which  was 
the  language  they  spoke ;  and  then,  what  they  said 

L.  j.  8* 


90  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

in  Hebrew,  to  Joseph  in  Egyptian — as  if  he  did  not 
understand  the  Hebrew  language.  This  he  did, 
lest  they  might  suspect  who  he  was,  if  he  spoke  to 
them  in  their  own  language. 

As  soon  as  Joseph  heard  the  conversation  of  his 
brethren  he  was  much  affected  by  it,  and  turned 
away  from  them,  so  that  they  could  not  see  him, 
and  wept. 

What  a  difference  between  the  tenderness  of  his 
feelings  toward  them,  and  their  former  hard-heart- 
ed cruelty  toward  him ! 

He  was  almost  ready  to  tell  them  who  he  was, 
and  to  relieve  them  from  their  trouble.  But  he 
thought  that  this,  on  the  whole,  was  not  best.  He 
wished  still  to  try  their  sincerity — to  know  if  they 
really  spoke  the  truth  with  regard  to  Benjamin ; 
and  to  lead  them  to  a  deeper  repentance  for  their 
guilt. 

After  some  further  conversation  with  them, 
through  the  interpreter,  he  selected  Simeon  as  the 
one  who  should  remain  behind  while  the  rest  were 
gone  to  Canaan,  and  ordered  him  to  be  bound  in 
their  presence.  This  he  did  to  let  them  see  that 
Simeon  was  to  be  kept  in  confinement  until  they 
returned  and  brought  back  Benjamin  with  them. 

Joseph  then  gave  directions  (without  their  under- 
standing what  he  said)  that  the  sacks  which  they 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


91 


brought  should  all  be  filled  with  grain ;  and  that 
the  money  which  each  one  had  paid  for  the  grain 
should  be  put  in  his  sack ;  and  that  they  should 
have  provisions  enough  to  last  them  during-  their 
journey. 


They  then  put  the  sacks  of  grain  on  their  asses, 
and  set  out  for  Canaan  ;  while  their  brother,  Sime- 
on, was  taken  to  a  place  of  confinement,  to  await 
their  return, 

You  see,  in  that  part  of  the  history  to  which  we 
have  just  been  attending,  the  striking  difference  be- 


92  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

tween  good  and  wicked  men — between  Joseph  who 
feared  God  and  endeavored  to  do  his  duty,  and  his 
brothers,  who  had  been  full  of  pride,  hatred,  revenge 
and  cruelty,  and  who  had,  probably,  as  yet,  felt  no 
true  repentance  for  their  sins,  nor  desire  to  love 
and  obey  God. 

Now,  to  which  class  of  persons  do. you  belong? 
Do  you  resemble,  in  your  disposition  and  conduct, 
the  tender-hearted  and  upright  Joseph,  or  his  hard- 
hearted and  wicked  brethren  ?  Do  you  fear  and 
love  God,  and  esteem  it  your  greatest  happiness  to 
obey  his  commands,  and  do  good  to  others ;  or,  are 
you  thinking  all  the  time  about  yourself  alone, 
and  in  what  way  you  can  do  something,  or  get 
something,  to  gratify  your  own  selfish  wishes,  and 
make  yourself  happy,  without  caring  about  the  good 
and  happiness  of  others  ? 

You  know  very  well  to  which  class  of  persons 
you  ought  to  belong.  Your  conscience  tells  you  how 
much  better  it  is  for  you  to  be  like  Joseph  than  to 
be  like  his  brethren.  Well,  what  do  you  mean  to  do, 
if  you  are  not  yet  at  all  like  Joseph — if  you  have  no 
true  love  to  God  and  trust  in  the  Savior,  and  no  de- 
sire to  imitate  his  example,  in  obeying  the  will  of 
God,  and  in  doing  good  to  your  fellow-men  ?  Do  you 
mean  to  keep  on  just  as  you  are ;  without  repent- 
ance for  sin ;  without  faith  in  Christ ;  without  hav- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  93 

ing  God  for  your  friend,  and  his  Son  for  your  Sa- 
vior; without  any  preparation  for  death;  and  with- 
out any  hope  of  happiness  beyond  the  grave  ? 

When  the  brethren  of  Joseph  were  brought  into 
trouble,  they  felt  as  if  the  anger  of  an  offended  God 
was  resting  upon  them,  to  punish  them  for  their 
guilt.  Conscience,  after  slumbering  more  than  twen- 
ty years,  awoke,  and  they  felt  its  stings. 

Your  past  sins  may  not  now  alarm  you.  Your 
conscience  may  be  asleep.  You  may  not  feel  your 
guilt  and  danger.  But  God  can  overtake  you  with 
his  judgments,  even  in  this  life ;  and  rouse  your 
conscience ;  and  fill  you  with  remorse  and  dread ; 
and  make  you  tremble  before  him.  And  in  the  world 
to  come,  ah !  there,  conscience  will  do  its  awful 
work  most  thoroughly;  and  the  impenitent  sinner, 
who  is  banished,  for  ever,  from  the  presence  of  God 
and  the  joys  of  heaven,  will  find  nothing  but  an- 
guish, in  looking  back  upon  what  he  has  been,  and 
nothing  but  despair,  in  looking  forward  to  what  he 
is  yet  to  be. 

Now,  then,  let  your  conscience  do  its  work.  Think 
how  much,  and  how  often,  you  have  sinned  against 
God.  Go  to  him  with  sincere  sorrow  of  heart,  con- 
fessing your  sins.  Beseech  him,  on  account  of  what 
Christ  did  and  suffered,  to  pardon  your  sins.  Trust 
in  this  Savior,  as  your  only  Savior  and  hope.  Pray 


94  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

for  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  he  died  to  procure,  and 
which  he  promised  that  God  would  give  to  all  who 
should  ask  for  it  in  his  name.  Pray,  pray  for  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  it  may  come  down  into  your  soul, 
and  abide  with  you ;  that  it  may  guide  you  into  the 
knowledge  of  the  truths  of  the  Bible ;  that  it  may 
lead  you  to  love  these  truths  and  obey  them ;  that 
it  may  keep  you  penitent  for  sin^  and  looking  to 
Christ  continually,  to  be  saved  from  the  power  of 
sin ;  that  it  may  make  you  faithful  in  serving  God 
and  doing  good  to  your  fellow-men  while  you  live, 
and  prepared,  when  you  die,  still  to  love  and  serve 
God,  and  to  enjoy  his  favor  and  that  of  his  Son,  in 
a  better  and  happier  world. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  95 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

One  of  Joseph's  brethren  finds  his  money  in  the  sack, — All 
are  in  great  alarm. — A  guilty  conscience. — Jacob's  dis- 
tress at  what  his  sons  tell  him. — Reuben's  foolish  and 
wicked  speech. — Jacob  cannot  let  Benjamin  go. — Judah 
tries  to  persuade  him  to  this. 

AFTER  they  had  advanced  some  distance  on  their 
journey,  the  brothers  of  Joseph,  as  we  read  in  the 
Bible,  stopped  at  an  inn  to  refresh  themselves,  and 
to  give  food  to  their  asses. 

Inns,  at  that  time,  were  very  different  from  what 
they  now  are  in  our  country.  They  were  scarcely 
any  thing  more  than  a  convenient  stopping-place 
for  travellers,  where  there  was  a  well  at  which  they 
could  procure  water,  and  a  few  trees,  under  the 
shade  of  which  they  could  repose,  and  perhaps,  in 
some  cases,  a  rough  house  or  shed,  in  which  they 
could  sleep  during  the  night. 

As  one  of  their  number  was  opening  his  sack  to 
get  some  provender  for  his  ass,  he  saw  in  it  the 
money  which  he  supposed  he  had  paid  to  Joseph 
for  the  grain.  He  was  greatly  surprised,  and  im- 
mediately told  his  brethren  of  it.  They  were  all 
much  alarmed,  and  filled  with  apprehension  lest 


96  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

even  the  governor  of  Egypt  himself,  or  some  evil 
disposed  person,  had  done  it,  that  they  might  be  ac- 
cused, on  their  return,  of  having  stolen  it.  They  re- 
garded it  as  another  proof  that  ,God  intended  to 
bring  trouble  upon  them  for  their  past  guilt ;  and 
that  it  was  his  over-ruling  Providence  which  was 
thus  so  ordering  events  as  to  manifest  his  great  dis- 
pleasure toward  them.  "  Their  heart  failed  them, 
and  they  were  afraid,  saying  one  to  another,  what  is 
this  that  God  hath  done  unto  us  ?" 

A  guilty  conscience  finds  no  comfort  in  consider- 
ing the  providence  of  God.  The  All-seeing  eye, 
and  the  All-ruling  hand,  are  to  the  sinner  a  source 
of  constant  disquietude  and  alarm. 

We  are  not  told  of  any  thing  else  which  happen- 
ed to  the  sons  of  Jacob  on  their  way  home. 

On  their  arrival  there,  they  told  their  father  all 
that  befell  them  in  Egypt ;  and  as  they  were  empty- 
ing their  sacks,  "behold,  every  man's  bundle  of 
money  was  in  his  sack ;  and  when  both  they  and 
their  father  saw  the  bundles  of  money,  they  were 
afraid. 

"  And  Jacob,  their  father,  said  unto  them,  me 
have  ye  bereaved  of  my  children :  Joseph  is  not, 
and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will  take  Benjamin 
away :  all  these  things  are  against  me." 

To  Jacob's  eye  it  seemed,  indeed,  as  if  a  dark 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  97 

cloud  hung  over  all  the  prospects  of  his  declining 
years.  He  had  already  suffered  much,  but  he 
thought  he  had  still  more  to  suffer.  He  forgot  the 
providence  of  God,  which  can  bring  good  out  of 
evil ;  and  lamented,  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul, 
that  all  the  things  which  had  happened  to  his  sons 
were  against  him.  He  did  not  know  that  these  very 
things  were  about  to  restore  Joseph  to  his  em- 
braces, and  to  provide  for  the  comfort  of  himself 
and  family. 

Reuben,  seeing  his  father's  great  distress,  and 
anxious  to  remove  his  apprehensions  with  regard  to 
Benjamin's  going  to  Egypt,  said  to  him.  "  Slay  my 
two  sons,  if  I  bring  not  Benjamin  to  thee :  deliver 
him  into  my  hand,  and  I  will  bring  him  to  thee 
again." 

This  was  both  a  foolish  and  wicked  speech. 
What  right  had  Reuben  to  give  any  permission  to 
kill  his  sons ;  and  what  satisfaction  would  it  be  to 
Jacob,  if  he  should  lose  Benjamin,  to  take  the  lives 
of  two  innocent  grandchildren  in  order  to  punish 
their  father  ? 

This  vehement  declaration  of  Reuben  had  no  ef- 
fect upon  Jacob.  He  could  not  endure  the  thought, 
for  a  moment,  of  parting  with  Benjamin. 

"And  he  said,  my  son  shall  not  go  down  with 
you ;  for  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  is  left  alone :  if 

L.  j.  9 


98  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

mischief  befall  him  by  the  way  in  the  which  ye  go, 
then  shall  ye  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sor- 
row to  the  grave." 

The  famine  still  continued  very  grievous  in  the 
land  of  Canaan  ;  and  at  length  Jacob  and  his  sons, 
and  their  families,  had  eaten  up  the  grain  which 
they  had  procured  in  Egypt.  There  was  no  other 
resource  but  to  go  there  again,  and  Jacob  directed 
his  sons  to  do  this. 

They  knew,  however,  that  there  \vas  only  one 
way  in  which  they  could  hope  that  the  governor  of 
Egypt  would  furnish  them  with  a  supply,  and  that 
was,  to  take  Benjamin  along  with  them.  Judah  re- 
minded his  father  of  this.  "  The  man,"  said  he, 
"  did  solemnly  protest  unto  us,  saying,  ye  shall  not 
see  my  face  except  your  brother  be  with  you.  If 
thou  wilt  send  our  brother  with  us,  we  will  go  down 
and  buy  thee  food  :  but  if  thou  wilt  not  send  him, 
we  will  not  go  down :  for  the  man  said  unto  us, 
ye  shall  not  see  my  face,  except  your  brother  be 
with  you." 

To  what  a  severe  trial  the  venerable  patriarch 
was  now  called  !  Himself,  his  children,  and  their 
families,  were  in  danger  of  famishing  with  hunger. 
If  food  is  not  procured,  their  lives  must  be  sacri- 
ficed. But  Benjamin  was  as  dear  to  him  as  his  own 
life.  How  can  he  part  with  this  beloved  son ! 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  99 

In  the  anguish  of  his  soul,  he  reproached  his 
sons  with  their  imprudence. 

"  Wherefore,"  said  he,  "  dealt  ye  so  ill  with  me, 
as  to  tell  the  man  whether  ye  had  yet  a  brother  ?" 

"How  could  we  help  doing  it,"  they  replied ;  "  he 
made  very  particular  inquiries  respecting  our  si- 
tuation here  at  home ;  he  asked  if  our  father  was 
yet  alive,  and  whether  we  had  another  brother  ;  and 
we  felt  ourselves  obliged  to  answey  these  inquiries 
just  as  they  were  put  to  us.  Could  we  know  before- 
hand that  he  would  say,  we  must  bring  Benjamin 
down  to  Egypt  ?" 

Still  Jacob  hesitated.  The  struggle  was  not  yet 
over  in  his  mind  ;  and  his  sons  saw  that  they  had 
still  further  to  expostulate  with  him,  to  persuade 
him,  if  possible,  to  give  his  consent. 

Judah  attempted  to  do  this.  "  Send  the  lad  (so  call- 
ed because  he  was  the  youngest  son)  with  me,"  said 
he,  "  and  we  will  arise  and  go,  that  we  may  live 
and  not  die,  both  we  and  thou,  and  also  our  little 
ones." 

He  then  said  that  he  would  take  the  particular 
charge  of  Benjamin,  and  be  accountable  for  his 
safe  return  ;  "  if  I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  and  set 
him  before  thee,  then  let  me  bear  the  blame  foi 
ever." 

He  observed,  too,  that  they  were  losing  a  great 


100  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

deal  of  time  by  delaying  so ;  and  that,  if  they  had 
only  started  in  season,  they  might  already  have 
been  to  Egypt,  and  returned  again  to  their  home. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Jacob  consents  to  let  Benjamin  go.— Gifts  prepared  to  carry 
to  the  governor  of  Egypt. — Jacob's  sons  set  out  on  their 
journey. — They  come  before  Joseph. — Their  great  fear. 
— Guilt  causes  fear. — The  steward  of  Joseph  allays  their 
fears. 

THE  entreaties  of  his  children  at  length  prevail- 
ed; but  it  was  almost  in  a  state  of  despair  that 
Jacob  consented. 

If  it  must  be  so  now,  said  he,  "  if  indeed  I  am 
driven  to  such  a  dreadful  necessity  that  I  must 
either  see  you  all  perish  with  hunger,  or  part  with 
your  brother  Benjamin,  my  youngest  and  beloved 
child — I  will  yield.  I  yield ;  go,  my  sons  ;  but  I 
wish  you  to  do  every  thing  in  your  power  to  se- 
cure the  favor  of  the  governor  of  Egypt.  He  may 
suppose  that  you  stole  the  money  which  you  found 
in  your  sacks ;  and  you  must  convince  him  that  this 
was  not  the  case.  Carry  down,  as  a  present  to  him, 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  101 

some  of  the  choicest  things  that  our  country  pro- 
duces— some  halm  and  honey,  some  spices,  myrrh, 
nuts  and  almonds.  Take  twice  as  much  money  as 
you  did  before ;  and  carry  back,  in  addition  to  this, 
all  the  money  which  was  in  the  sacks.  Perhaps  it 
was  put  in  them  by  some  mistake,  and  no  harm 
will  grow  out  of  it." 

"  Take  also  your  brother,  and  arise,  go  again 
unto  the  man:  and  God  Almighty  give  you  mercy 
before  the  man,  that  he  may  send  away  your 
other  brother,  and  Benjamin.  If  I  be  bereaved  of 
my  children,  I  am  bereaved." 

His  sons  immediately  made  the  necessary  pre- 
parations for  their  journey,  as  Jacob  had  directed  ; 
and,  Judah  taking  Benjamin  under  his  particular 
care,  they  once  more  set  out  for  Egypt. 

No  doubt  their  farewell  was  affecting,  and  pain- 
ful to  their  aged  parent.  After  charging  them  all, 
especially  Judah,  to  see  that  no  harm  happened  to 
Benjamin — he  gave  them  his  parting  blessing,  im- 
ploring for  them  the  guidance  and  protection  of 
Almighty  God.  Their  wives,  too,  and  little  ones, 
stood  around,  to  receive  their  affectionate  embrace, 
and  to  bid  them  farewell.  They  still  stood,  silently 
gazing  after  them,  as  the  travellers  were  winding 
their  way  across  the  distant  hills :  nor  did  they 
separate  and  return  to  their  respective  tents,  until 

L.  j  9* 


102  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

the  little  band  had  quite  vanished  from  their  sight. 

In  the  sadness  of  his  heart,  we  have  every  reason 
to  believe,  Jacob  went  alone,  to  pour  out  his  feelings 
before  God — to  commend  his  sons  to  the  care  and 
blessing  of  him  who  is  mighty  to  save;  and  to 
pray  that  he  himself  might  be  sustained  in  this 
hour  of  trial,  and  be  submissive  to  the  will  of  God. 

Afflicted  old  man  !  God  is  teaching  thee  a  lesson 
of  patience  and  resignation,  that  thou  mayest  learn 
how  to  leave  every  thing  in  his  hands.  The  time  is 
not  far  distant,  when  the  dark  clouds  which  now 
seem  to  frown  upon  thee  shall  be  scattered;  and 
from  behind  them  a  bright  and  cheerful  day  shall 
shine  upon  thy  steps,  as  thou  descendest  peacefully 
to  the  tomb. 

The  brothers  of  Joseph  at  length  arrived  in 
Egypt,  and  again  came  into  his  presence. 

What  must  have  been  his  feelings  at  the  sight  of 
Benjamin — the  son  of  his  own  mother  Rachel — 
with  whom  he  had  passed  so  many  happy  hours  in 
their  boyish  days,  and  whom  he  had  not  seen  for 
more  than  twenty  years  ! 

The  sight  of  this  beloved  brother  brought  to 
Joseph's  mind  the  recollection  of  gone-by  scenes  of 
the  most  affecting  interest;  and  it  was  with  dif- 
ficulty that  he  could  restrain  his  emotions,  and  pre- 
vent his  brethren  from  discovering  them.  But  he 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  103 

was  a  man  of  great  firmness,  as  well  as  of  tender 
feeling.  He  summoned  up  his  firmness,  and  still 
acted  as  if  he  knew  not  who  they  were. 

We  are  not  told  where  this  interview  between 
Joseph  and  his  brethren  took  place.  We  know, 
however,  that  it  was  not  in  his  own  house.  For  we 
find,  that  at  the  same  time  he  directed  his  steward 
(the  man  who  provided  for  his  family,  and  had  the 
charge  of  all  his  domestic  concerns)  to  take  his 
brethren  home  to  his  own  house,  and  get  every 
thing  ready  for  their  dining  with  him  at  the  usual 
hour,  and  to  make  the  dinner  a  plenteous  and 
sumptuous  one. 

The  steward  did  so ;  and  as  the  sons  of  Jacob 
entered  the  governor's  house,  they  were  afraid, 
fearing  that  now  they  were  about  to  be  charged 
with  stealing  the  money  which  they  found  in  their 
sacks,  and  that  all  that  they  had  would  be  taken 
from  them,  and  themselves  be  made  the  slaves  of 
the  governor. 

If  this  had,  indeed,  happened  to  them,  what  a 
just  retribution  it  would  have  been  to  almost  all  of 
them,  for  their  having  sold  their  own  brother  as  a 
slave,  and  for  their  deceitful  and  wicked  treatment 
of  their  father. 

They  knew  that  they  deserved  such  a  punish- 
ment :  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  they  feared  it, 


104  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

and  trembled  lest  the  righteous  judgment  of  God 
should  bring  it  upon  them. 

Remember,  my  dear  children,  that  nothing  makes 
such  cowards  of  men  as  a  guilty  conscience.  The 
Bible  tells  us  that  "  the  wicked  flee  when  no  man 
pursueth;  but  the  righteous  are  bold  as  a  lion." 

They  came  near  to  the  steward,  while  they  were 
yet  at  the  door,  and  began  to  excuse  themselves  to 
him  on  account  of  the  money  which  was  found  in 
their  sacks.  They  told  him  the  circumstances  un- 
der which  they  found  it,  and  that  they  had  brought 
it  all  back  again,  to  give  to  the  governor.  They  de- 
clared at  the  same  time,  that  they  could  not  possibly 
tell  who  it  was  that  put  the  money  into  their  sacks, 
or  how  it  got  there. 

The  steward  saw  their  agitation,  and  endeavored 
to  allay  it.  He  told  them  not  to  be  afraid,  for  that 
nothing  wrong  had  been  done,  and  that  no  harm 
would  happen  to  them. 

It  is  possible  that  this  steward,  being  one  of  the 
family  of  Joseph,  had  been  taught  by  him  concern- 
ing the  true  God,  and  was  a  pious  man.  At  any 
rate,  the  language  which  he  used  was  like  that  of 
one  who  feared  and  obeyed  God. 

"Peace  be  to  you,"  said  he,  "fear  not:  your 
God,  and  the  God  of  your  father,  hath  given  you 
treasure  in  your  sacks.  I  had  your  money." 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  105 

As  if  he  had  said,  "  Your  money  was  once  paid 
into  my  hands  for  the  grain ;  and  my  acknowledg- 
ing that  I  received  it,  as  the  steward  of  the  gover- 
nor, is  sufficient  to  show  that  you  are  honest  men. 
You  need  not  trouble  yourselves  to  ascertain  how  it 
found  its  way  into  your  sacks.  Keep  it,  as  a  gift 
from  my  master,  the  governor ;  or  rather  as  a  boun- 
ty which  the  kind  providence  of  God — the  God 
whom  you  profess  to  worship,  and  in  whom  your 
aged  father  trusts — has  bestowed  upon  you." 


CHAPTER   XX. 

Simeon  brought  out  of  prison. — The  brethren  of  Joseph  pre- 
sent their  gifts  to  him. — Joseph  can  hardly  restrain  his 
feelings. — His  brethren  dine  with  him. — Remarks  on 
temperance,  and  the  duty  of  promoting  it. 

SIMEON,  who,  you  recollect,  was  to  be  kept  in 
confinement  till  his  brethren  returned  with  Benja- 
min, was  now  set  at  liberty,  and  brought  by  the 
steward  to  join  the  rest ;  and  all  entered  the  house 
of  the  governor. 

The  steward  (as  was  customary  at  that  time,  and 
is  still  among  the  eastern  nations)  gave  them  water 


106  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

with  which  to  wash  their  feet;  and  fed  also  the 
asses  which  they  brought  with  them. 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  brethren  of  Joseph  un- 
packed the  precious  articles  which  they  intended  to 
offer  him  as  a  gift  from  themselves  and  their  father, 
and  arranged  them  in  order  for  that  purpose. 
They  did  this,  expecting  that  it  would  not  be  long 
before  he  would  return,  to  dinner,  and  understand- 
ing that  they  were  to  dine  there  also. 

When  Joseph  came,  they  presented  him  their 
gifts,  and  bowed  themselves  down  before  him  quite 
to  the  ground ;  and  here  was  another  striking  ful- 
fillment of  his  dream. 

He  then,  by  means  of  the  interpreter,  "  asked 
them  of  their  welfare :  and  said,  is  your  father  well, 
the  old  man  of  whom  ye  spake  ?  Is  he  yet  alive  ? 
And  they  answered,  thy  servant  our  father  is  in 
good  health,  he  is  yet  alive.  And  they  bowed  down 
their  heads  and  made  obeisance." 

Joseph  was  now  directing  his  attention  more 
particularly  to  Benjamin,  and  inquired,  as  if  he 
were  still  ignorant  of  the  fact,  whether  that  was 
their  youngest  brother,  of  whom  they  had  spoken  to 
him  when  they  first  came  down  to  Egypt.  On 
being  told  that  it  was ;  he  said,  in  a  very  tender 
and  affectionate  manner,  as  a  kind  parent  would, 
God  be  gracious  unto  thee,  my  son. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


107 


He  had  scarcely  uttered  those  words,  when  his 
feelings  quite  overcame  him;  so  strong  was  his 
attachment  to  Benjamin.  He  could  say  nothing 
more.  Indeed,  he  could  remain  no  longer  in  the 
presence  of  his  brethren,  but  hurried  away  as  quick 
as  possible  to  his  chamber,  and  there  gave  vent  to 
his  feelings  in  a  flood  of  tears. 

But  he  soon  returned ;  having  washed  his  face, 
that  it  might  not  be  known  that  he  had  been  weep- 
ing ;  and  with  a  good  degree  of  composure  gave 
directions  to  have  the  food  brought  in  which  had 
been  prepared  for  them. 


108  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

He  ate  alone  by  himself,  as  was  the  custom  for 
the  king,  and  the  governor,  and  others  who  were 
high  in  office,  to  do. 

Some  of  the  Egyptians,  too,  who  formed  part  of 
his  family,  or  who  had  been  invited  to  the  entertain- 
ment, ate  by  themselves ;  and  also  his  brethren 
apart  by  themselves. 

We  are  told  in  the  Bible  that  the  reason  of  this 
separation  was,  that  it  was  an  abomination  (a  very 
disagreeable,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Egyptians, 
wicked  thing)  for  one  of  their  nation  to  eat  with  an 
Hebrew. 

Some  think  that  this  arose  from  the  fact  of  the 
Egyptians  worshipping  certain  animals,  the  ox  and 
others,  which  the  Hebrews  killed  and  ate,  and  also 
offered  up  in  sacrifice.  Others  suppose  that  the 
Egyptians  held  the  Hebrews  in  abhorrence  because 
they  were  shepherds,  a  class  of  men  who  had  made 
frequent  incursions  into  Egypt,  and  done  great  in- 
jury to  the  inhabitants.  Perhaps  it  is  impossible  to 
ascertain  what  the  true  cause  was,  as  the  thing  hap- 
pened such  a  long  time  ago,  and  the  Bible  gives  no 
explanation  of  it. 

When  the  brothers  of  Joseph  were  about  to  sit 
down  to  their  meal,  they  were  requested  to  sit  in  a 
certain  order,  which  they  did.  After  they  were 
seated,  and  began  to  look  round  on  each  other,  they 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  109 

were  surprised  to  see  that  they  were  seated  exactly 
in  the  order  of  their  ages,  beginning  with  Reuben, 
and  so  down  to  Benjamin.  This  appeared  to  them, 
indeed,  a  very  strange  thing,  and  they  were  wholly 
unable  to  account  for  it. 

As  Avas  usual,  there  were  a  great  many  different 
kinds  of  food  placed  before  Joseph,  which  he  sent 
round  and  distributed  to  the  rest.  As  the  sons  of 
Jacob  looked  round  again  at  the  quantity  of  food 
which  was  thus  sent  to  each,  they  were  surprised 
to  see  that  Benjamin's  was  five  times  as  much  as 
any  of  their's. 

They  enjoyed  the  entertainment  much,  and  be- 
came merry,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  Bible,  in  drink- 
ing with  Joseph.  We  are  by  no  means  to  suppose 
from  this  that  they  drank  to  excess.  The  word 
merry,  in  our  translation  of  the  Bible,  often  means 
joyful  or  glad,  and  this  is  the  meaning  which  we 
should  give  it  in  this  place. 

If  I  had  time  I  should  like  to  stop  here  a  little, 
my  dear  children,  and  say  something  to  you  on  the 
subject  of  temperance,  both  in  eating  and  drinking. 
I  hope  you  have  already  had  instruction  and  advice 
from  your  parents  and  friend  with  regard  to  it ;  and 
that  you  have  thought  seriously  about  it  yourselves. 

You  have  heard  of  what  is  doing  at  the  present 
day  to  promote  the  cause  of  temperance  both  in  our 

L.  J.  10 


110  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

own  and  in  other  countries.  What  are  you  doing 
in  this  good  work  ?  You  can  do  a  great  deal,  even 
if  you  are  still  quite  young,  by  your  oivn  temperance, 
which  will  give  you  good  health,  and  good  habits, 
and  good  resolutions :  and  so  prepare  you  to  be  more 
active  in  this  cause  as  you  grow  older.  Your  ex- 
ample, too,  will  have  a  happy  effect  upon  your  bro- 
thers, and  sisters,  and  companions.  And  if  you  are 
old  enough,  I  hope  you  have  already  begun  to  be 
active  in  endeavoring  to  lead  others  to  promote  the 
cause  of  temperance,  and  to  remove  the  curse  of  intem- 
perance from  the  world. 

In  Joseph's  time  they  did  not  see  the  evil  of  in- 
temperance in  drinking,  as  we  do.  For  they  had  no 
strong,  fiery,  intoxicating,  and  poisonous  liquors, 
made  at  distilleries,  and  sold  in  shops,  to  ruin  the 
bodies  and  souls  of  men.  If  that  had  been  the  case 
when  Joseph  lived,  I  have  no  doubt  he  would  have 
been  among  the  first,  both  by  his  example  and  influ- 
ence, to  do  all  he  could  to  prevent  the  use  of  such 
liquors. 

At  his  day,  and  indeed  in  later  times,  truly  good 
and  pious  men  were  not  brought  to  see  and  to  feel 
the  evils  of  intemperance  so  sensibly  as  to  lead  them 
to  discover  the  only  true  remedy,  total  abstinence 
from  all  spirituous  liquors.  Their  consciences  Avere 
not  enlightened  and  aroused  on  the  subject ;  and,  as 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  Ill 

you  know,  it  is  only  within  a  few  years  that  they 
have  begun  to  understand  and  to  practise  their  duty. 
Had  Joseph  known  all  that  we  know  on  this  sub- 
ject, he  would  have  taken  care  to  avoid  even  the  ap- 
pearance of  evil.  Do  you  do  the  same,  and  you  will 
find  in  a  course  of  the  strictest  temperance,  and  in 
endeavoring  to  promote  it  in  others,  an  amount  of 
health  and  strength ;  a  clearness  and  vigor  of  mind  ; 
a  cheerfulness  and  sprightiiness  of  feeling ;  and  a 
peace  of  conscience,  which  will  abundantly  reward 
you  for  what  you  may  consider  some  self-denial, 
and  for  all  your  exertions  in  doing  good  in  this  way 
to  your  fellow-men. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

Joseph's  brethren  again  set  out  for  home. — His  steward 
overtakes  them,  and  charge?  them  with  having  stolen  the 
governor's  cup. — What  was  this  cup  1 — The  cup  found  in 
Benjamin's  sack. — They  all  return,  and  come  before  Jo- 
seph.— Judah's  confession  of  their  guilt. — Why  did  he 
make  it? 

THE  brethren  of  Joseph  intended  to  set  out  for 
home  the  next  morning.  In  getting  ready  the  grain 
that  they  were  to  carry  with  them,  which  was  the 


112  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

duty  of  the  steward,  Joseph  directed  him  to  fill  their 
sacks  full,  as  much  as  they  could  carry  ;  and  to  put 
every  man's  money  which  he  had  paid  for  the  grain 
in  his  sack's  mouth.  He  also  directed  the  steward  to 
take  his  silver  cup  (which  was  considered  as  be- 
longing to  the  government,  and  for  his  own  particu- 
lar use)  and  to  put  it  in  the  mouth  of  Benjamin's 
sack,  together  with  his  money. 

All  this  having  been  done  by  the  steward,  without 
the  knowledge  of  Joseph's  brethren,  very  early  the 
next  morning,  as  soon  as  the  day  began  to  dawn, 
they  set  out  on  their  journey. 

After  they  had  been  gone  a  short  time,  and  were 
not  as  yet  any  great  distance  from  the  city,  Joseph 
ordered  his  steward  to  pursue  and  overtake  them, 
and  to  inquire  of  them  why  they  had  done  him  evil 
for  the  good  which  he  had  done  them.  After  thus 
accosting  them,  the  steward  was  still  further  direct- 
ed by  Joseph  to  charge  them  with  having  taken  his 
cup.  He  was  directed  to  say,  "  Is  not  this  it  in 
which  my  lord  drinketh,  and  whereby  indeed  he 
divineth  ?  Ye  have  done  evil  in  so  doing." 

Some  think  that  the  Egyptians,  who  were  a  very 
superstitious  people,  supposed  that  certain  cups  own- 
ed by  some  few  individuals,  or  perhaps  this  cup 
alone,  owned  by  the  governor,  had  the  power  of  en- 
abling those  who  looked  into  it  to  see  what  would 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  113 

happen ;  or  to  find  out  anything  that  had  happened, 
and  what  any  person  had  said  or  done.  This  they 
think  is  what  is  meant  by  divining.  But  others  sup- 
pose that  the  Hebrew  word  which  the  persons  who 
translated  our  English  Bible  have  rendered  (or  put 
into  English)  to  divine,  means  also,  to  search  tho- 
roughly after  any  thing. 

They  think  that  the  steward  was  ordered  by  Jo- 
seph to  charge  his  brethren  with  having  stolen  the 
cup  which  he  valued  very  highly,  and  for  which 
(as  they  might  have  supposed)  he  would  make  very 
diligent  and  careful  search,  and  be  able  to  divine^ 
or  think  with  certainty  who  had  taken  it. 

The  latter  meaning  is  that  which  appears  to  me 
to  be  the  true  one. 

The  steward  did  as  he  was  ordered ;  and  you  may 
easily  conceive  that  the  brethren  of  Joseph  were 
greatly  astonished  at  what  he  said  to  them. 

They  expressed  their  surprise  at  it :  "  Wherefore," 
said  they,  "  saith  my  lord  these  words  ?  God  forbid 
that  thy  servants  should  do  according  to  this  thing ! 
Behold,  the  money  which  we  found  in  our  sacks' 
mouth  we  brought  back  again  unto  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Canaan :  how  then  should  we  steal  out  of 
thy  lord's  house  silver  or  gold  ?  With  whomsoever 
of  thy  servants  it  be  found,  both  let  him  die,  and  we 
also  will  be  my  lord's  bondmen." 
L.  j.  10* 


114  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

The  steward  said  that  he  would  take  them  at  their 
word ;  (though  he  was  not  so  severe  as  they  were 
willing  he  should  be :)  "  he  with  whom  it  is  found," 
said  he,  "  shall  be  my  servant,  and  ye  shall  be 
blameless." 

They  then  took  down  their  sacks  to  the  ground 
and  opened  them,  that  a  search  might  be  made.  The 
steward  began  at  the  eldest,  and  when  he  came  at 
last  to  Benjamin's  sack,  there  to  be  sure  the  cup 
was  found. 

On  this  discovery  being  made,  their  consternation 
and  grief  were  so  great  that  they  could  scarcely 
contain  themselves;  and  they  rent  their  clothes,  as 
you  have  already  seen  it  was  customary  to  do  at 
that  time,  under  such  circumstances  of  affliction. 

After  putting  back  their  sacks  of  grain  on  the 
asses,  they  returned  again  with  the  steward  to  the 
city. 

On  entering  the  house  of  the  governor,  and  com- 
ing into  his  presence,  they  all  fell  prostrate  before 
him  on  the  ground. 

He  inquired  of  them  as  they  arose,  why  they  had 
carried  away  his  cup,  and  asked  them  if  they  did 
not  suppose  that  such  a  man  as  he  was  had  every 
means  in  his  power  to  make  diligent  search  after  it, 
and  to  divine  (or  think  with  certainty)  who  had 
taken  it. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  115 

To  this  Judah,  in  behalf  of  his  brethren,  replied; 
"  What  shall  we  say  unto  my  lord  ?  What  shall  we 
speak  1  Or  how  shall  we  clear  ourselves  ?  God 
hath  found  out  the  iniquity  of  thy  servants :  behold, 
we  are  my  lord's  servants,  both  we  and  he  also  with 
whom  the  cup  is  found." 

It  would  seem  that  Judah  had  scarcely  any  hope 
of  being  able  to  prove  that  they  were  innocent.  He 
might  have  thought  it  barely  possible  that  Benja- 
min had  stolen  the  cup.  But,  as  something  of  the 
same  kind  had  happened  to  them  before,  it  is  more 
probable  that  he  supposed  it  was  all  a  plan  of  the 
governor,  or  of  some  other  person,  to  bring  them  in- 
to trouble,  and  to  expose  them  to  a  severe  punish- 
ment. 

In  a  sort  of  despair,  therefore,  he  confessed  that 
they  were  all  guilty.  He  hoped,  probably,  in  this 
way,  to  save  the  life  of  Benjamin,  for  whom  he  was 
particularly  accountable  to  his  father.  And  he 
thought  also,  that  by  throwing  themselves  entirely 
upon  the  mercy  of  the  governor,  and  humbly  con- 
fessing their  crime,  he  might  be  induced  to  treat 
them  with  less  severity ;  and  instead  of  putting  them 
to  death  immediately,  keep  them  in  bondage.  By 
this  means  they  might  have  time,  and  find  out  some 
way  of  proving  their  innocence. 


116  HISTORY    OF   JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER     XXII. 

Joseph  still  keeps  his  brethren  in  suspense. — Remarks  on 
his  conduct, — His  reply  to  Judah. — Judah's  expostu- 
lation. 

HERE  was  another  occasion  on  which  Joseph 
had  his  brethren  in  his  power.  He  might  have  ac- 
quitted them  of  the  particular  crime  of  stealing-  his 
cup ;  but  he  could  have  reproached  them  with  the 
deeper  guilt  of  stealing  their  oicn  brother,  and  sell- 
ing him  as  a  slave.  Had  they  denied  this,  and  as- 
serted, as  they  had  done  to  their  father,  that  Joseph 
was  dead,  one  Avord  of  his  could  have  convicted 
them  of  falsehood  on  the  spot,  and  thrown  them 
into  the  greatest  confusion  and  dismay. 

How  he  could  have  overwhelmed  them  with  the 
most  severe  and  just  rebuke !  How  he  could  have 
taken  vengeance  on  them,  and  satisfied  his  re- 
venge to  the  full,  had  such  a  disposition  existed  in 
his  breast ! 

But  he  felt  very  differently  toward  them ;  and  if 
he  still  concluded  to  keep  them  in  suspense,  it  was 
to  prepare  the  way  for  their  deeper  repentance ;  it 
was  to  let  them  see  more  clearly  how  forgiving  and 
generous  his  own  character  was ;  it  was  to  lead 
them  to  acknowledge  and  admire  the  providence  of 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  117 

God  in  the  fulfillment  of  those  dreams  that  had  been 
so  offensive  to  them,  which  had,  already,  been  at- 
tended with  so  much  good  to  themselves,  to  their 
venerable  father,  and  to  all  their  families. 

It  is  difficult  for  us  to  judge  of  all  that  Joseph 
did  in  his  intercourse  with  his  brethren.  We  do 
not  know  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  Very 
many  of  these  circumstances  are  not  stated  in  the 
Bible.  That  Joseph  thought  that  he  had  good 
reasons  for  what  he  did,  and  that  he  really  wished 
to  do  his  brethren  and  his  father  all  the  good  in  his 
power,  we  must  conclude,  without  any  hesitation, 
from  what  we  shall  see,  as  we  still  farther  attend  to 
his  history. 

If  there  was  anything  which  he  said  or  did,  ac- 
companied with  such  kind  of  deception  as  to  make 
it  a  falsehood ;  (or  if  it  amounted  to  saying  that 
something  was,  which  icas  not — or  was  not,  which 
was ;)  then,  in  this  respect  he  did  wrong,  and  is 
not  to  be  justified.  Let  us  judge  him,  however,  with 
great  candor ;  remembering  what  wicked  and  per- 
verse men  he  had  to  deal  with,  and  how  fearful  he 
was  lest  their  finding  out  too  soon  who  he  was, 
might  defeat  all  his  plans  for  the  welfare  of  his  aged 
father,  of  his  beloved  Benjamin,  and,  indeed,  of 
themselves,  and  of  the  whole  family  of  his  kindred, 
at  Hebron. 


118  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

We  will  now  see  what  Joseph's  reply  was  to 
Judah. 

Judah,  you  recollect,  had  told  Joseph  that  they 
were  all  his  servants ;  or  that  he  could  keep  them 
all  in  a  state  of  bondage,  as  a  punishment  for  their 
guilt. 

"  God  forbid,"  said  Joseph,  "  that  I  should  do  so  : 
but  the  man  in  whose  hand  the  cup  is  found,  he 
shall  be  my  servant ;  and  as  for  you,  get  you  up  in 
peace  unto  your  father." 

This  was  truly  a  severe  trial  for  Judah,  who  had 
given  such  strong  assurances  to  his  father  that  no 
harm  should  happen  to  Benjamin,  and  that  he 
should  be  brought  back  to  Hebron  in  safety. 

What  shall  he  say  or  do  ?  To  assert  the  inno- 
cence of  his  brother  was  now  too  late.  He  had 
confessed  their  mutual  guilt ;  as  well  of  Benjamin, 
as  of  himself,  and  of  the  rest.  They  were  all 
strangers  in  Egypt ;  in  the  entire  power  of  one 
who  was  second  in  authority  only  to  the  king  him- 
self; with  no  advocate  or  friend ;  and  guilty,  by 
their  own  confession,  of  an  aggravated  offence.  If 
this  offence  should  rest,  as  it  was  likely  to  do,  on 
Benjamin  alone,  it  would  make  him  a  slave,  never 
more  to  return  to  Hebron,  and  thus  bring  down  the 
gray  hairs  of  Jacob  with  sorrow  to  the  grave. 

In  the  midst  of  such  mingled  and  desponding  feel- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  119 

ings  Judah  broke  out  into  this  most  pathetic  expos- 
tulation :  "  O  my  lord,  let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee, 
speak  a  word  in  my  lord's  ears,  and  let  not  thine 
anger  burn  against  thy  servant ;  for  thou  art  even 
as  Pharaoh  ;"  (and  having  power  equal  to  that  of  the 
king,  I  exceedingly  tremble  before  thee.) 

"  My  lord  asked  his  servants,  saying,  Have  ye  a 
father,  or  a  brother  ?  And  we  said  unto  my  lord, 
we  have  a  father,  an  old  man,  and  a  child  of  his  old 
age,  a  little  one ;  and  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he 
alone  is  left  of  his  mother,  and  his  father  loveth  him. 

"  And  thou  saidst  unto  thy  servants,  Bring  him 
down  unto  me,  that  I  may  set  mine  eyes  upon  him. 
And  we  said  unto  my  lord,  the  lad  cannot  leave  his 
father  ;  for  if  he  should  leave  his  father,  his  father 
would  die.  And  thou  saidst  unto  thy  servants,  ex- 
cept your  youngest  brother  come  down  with  you,  ye 
shall  see  my  face  no  more. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  when  we  came  up  unto  thy 
servant  my  father,  we  told  him  the  words  of  my  lord. 
And  our  father  said,  go  again,  and  buy  us  a  little 
food.  And  we  said,  we  cannot  go  down :  if  our 
youngest  brother  be  with  us,  then  will  we  go  down  : 
for  we  may  not  see  the  man's  face,  except  our 
youngest  brother  be  with  us.  And  thy  servant  my 
father  said  unto  us,  ye  know  that  my  wife  bare  me 
two  sons :  and  the  one  went  out  from  me,  and  I 


120  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

said,  surely  he  is  torn  in  pieces  ;  and  I  saw  him  not 
since :  and  if  ye  take  this  also  from  me,  and  mis- 
chief befall  him,  ye  shall  bring  down  my  gray  hairs 
with  sorrow  to  the  grave. 

4<  Now,  therefore,  when  I  come  to  thy  servant 
my  father,  and  the  lad  be  not  with  us ;  seeing  that 
his  life  is  bound  up  in  the  lad's  life,  it  shall  come  to 
pass  when  he  seeth  that  the  lad  is  not  with  us,  that 
he  will  die :  and  thy  servants  shall  bring  down  the 
gray  hairs  of  thy  servant  our  father  with  sorrow  to 
the  grave.  For  thy  servant  became  surety  for  the 
lad  unto  my  father,  saying,  if  I  bring  him  not  un- 
to thee,  then  I  shall  bear  the  blame  to  my  father 
for  ever. 

"  Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  let  thy  servant 
abide,  instead  of  the  lad,  a  bondman  to  my  lord  ; 
and  let  the  lad  go  up  with  his  brethren.  For  how 
shall  I  go  up  to  my  father  and  the  lad  be  not  with 
me  ?  lest  peradventure  I  see  the  evil  that  shall 
come  on  my  father." 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  121 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

Joseph  makes  himself  known  to  his  brethren. — His  address 
to  them. — His  forgiveness  of  them. — The  duty  of  forgive- 
ness.— Has  the  reader  this  spirit  1 

JUDAH  did  not  plead  in  vain.  While  Joseph 
heard  him,  the  most  tender  recollections  rushed 
upon  his  mind— his  mother,  his  home,  his  father — 
Ephrath,  Hebron,  Shechem,  Dothan — all  rose  up  be- 
fore him,  in  quick  and  melancholy  remembrance. 

He  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  doing  any 
thing  to  cause  such  anguish  to  his  aged  parent,  and 
that  would  bring  down  his  gray  hairs  with  sorrow 
to  the  grave. 

He  listened  with  breathless  attention  till  Judah 
had  done  speaking.  His  heart  was  full.  His  coun- 
tenance showed  it.  His  voice  showed  it,  while, 
being  no  longer  able  to  control  his  feelings,  he 
ordered  all  except  his  brethren  to  retire. 

They  did  so ;  and  Joseph  gave  vent  to  his  tears. 
He  wept  aloud.  He  wept  so  loud  that  they  heard 
him  in  the  other  parts  of  the  house;  and  in  the 
midst  of  their  astonishment  he  said  to  his  brethren, 
/  am  Joseph.  Doth  my  father  yet  live  ? 

His  brethren  were  too  much  overcome  to  make 

L.  j.  11 


122  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

any  reply.  They  must  have  been  horror-struck  to 
see  Joseph  standing  before  them,  the  governor  of 
Egypt! 

"  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  come  near 
to  me,  I  pray  you.  And  they  came  near.  And  he 
said,  I  am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  in- 
to Egypt.  Now  therefore  be  not  grieved,  nor 
angry  with  yourselves,  that  ye  sold  me  hither :  for 
God  did  send  me  before  you  to  preserve  life.  For 
these  two  years  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land ; 
and  yet  there  are  five  years,  in  the  which  there 
shall  neither  be  earing  (planting  the  seeds)  nor 
harvest. 

"  And  God  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve  you  a 
posterity  in  the  earth,  (the  descendants,  yet  to  be  very 
numerous,  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,)  and  to 
save  your  lives  by  a  great  deliverance. 

"  So  now  it  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but 
God :  and  he  hath  made  me  a  father  to  Pharaoh  ; 
(to  advise  him,  and  take  a  parental  care  of  his  con- 
cerns ;)  and  lord  of  all  his  house ;  and  a  ruler 
throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 

"  Haste  ye,  and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  unto 
him,  thus  saith  thy  son  Joseph,  God  hath  made  me 
lord  of  all  Egypt ;  come  down  unto  me,  tarry  not. 
And  thou  shalt  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  and 
thou  shalt  be  near  unto  me,  thou,  and  thy  children, 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  123 

and  thy  children's  children,  and  thy  flocks  and  thy 
herds,  and  all  that  thou  hast. 

"  And  there  will  I  nourish  thee ;  for  yet  there  are 
five  years  of  famine ;  lest  thou,  and  thy  household, 
and  all  that  thou  hast,  come  to  poverty. 

44  And  behold,  your  eyes  see,  and  the  eyes  of  my 
brother  Benjamin,  that  it  is  my  mouth  that  speaketh 
unto  you. 

"  And  ye  shall  tell  my  father  of  all  my  glory  in 
Egypt,  and  of  all  that  ye  have  seen;  and  ye  shall 
haste,  and  bring  down  my  father  hither. 

"And  he  fell  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's  neck, 
and  wept ;  and  Benjamin  wept  upon  his  neck. 
Moreover,  he  kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept  up- 
on them :  and  after  that  his  brethren  talked  with 
him." 

What  an  interesting  and  affecting  scene !  God 
has  given  it  to  you,  my  dear  children,  in  the  Bible, 
for  your  instruction.  And  you  can,  indeed,  derive 
a  great  deal  of  instruction  from  it. 

Mark  the  conduct  of  Joseph  in  it ;  for  it  deserves 
your  imitation. 

There  stood  his  brethren  before  him,  who  had 
done  him  so  many  injuries  ;  and  they  knew,  at  last, 
that  in  the  mighty  governor  of  Egypt  they  beheld 
their  brother  whom  they  had  hated  so  bitterly,  and 
treated  so  cruelly.  How  their  guilt  must  have  risen 


124  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

up  before  them  in  all  its  enormity  !  How  mean  and 
degraded  they  must  have  felt  in  his  presence  !  How 
justly  they  must  have  thought  they  deserved  his 
severest  rebuke  !  They  probably  were  expecting  it, 
as  the  least  punishment,  even  if  he  did  not  inflict 
any  other,  Avhich  was  due  to  their  wickedness  ! 

But  what  amazement  must  have  filled  their 
breasts,  to  see,  that  instead  of  all  this,  their  injured 
brother  was  about  to  treat  them  with  the  greatest 
kindness.  He  does  not  reproach  them  at  all.  He 
even  tries  to  turn  their  thoughts  from  the  recollec- 
tion of  their  own  guilt,  to  the  merciful  providence  of 
God,  who  had  over-ruled  it  for  his  good,  and  for 
that  of  themselves,  and  their  father,  and  their  whole 
family. 

Perhaps,  in  this  respect,  Joseph  may  have  been 
too  lenient.  But  he  knew  there  would  be  another, 
and  probably  a  better  season,  for  them  to  think  over 
all  that  had  happened.  He  wished  to  show  them  how 
freely  and  fully  he  forgave  them.  And,  if  any  thing 
could  lead  them  to  the  deepest  repentance  for  their 
past  guilt,  it  was  surely  such  generous  and  noble 
conduct  on  the  part  of  a  brother  whom  they  had  so 
grossly  injured. 

How  have  you  felt  toward  those  who  have  injur- 
ed you ;  and  how  have  you  treated  them  ?  No  one, 
I  presume,  has  ever  done  you  an  injury  any  thing 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  125 

like  that  which  the  brethren  of  Joseph  inflicted  up- 
on him 

He  felt  no  revenge,  no  desire  to  injure  those  who 
had  injured  him.  On  the  contrary,  he  wished  to  re- 
turn them  all  the  good  in  his  power,  for  the  evil 
which  he  had  received  from  them.  See,  too,  the 
kind  and  affectionate,  the  noble  and  generous  man- 
ner in  which  he  showed  these  feelings.  There  was 
no  allusion  to  their  cruel  and  wricked  treatment  of 
him ;  no  exulting  because  he  had  them  in  his  pow- 
er; no  boasting  of  his  being  willing  to  forgive 
them ;  not  even  a  rebuke  or  a  reproach,  or  a  word 
said  to  make  them  feel  their  littleness  and  their 
meanness. 

Have  you  felt  so,  and  acted  so,  toward  those  who 
have  injured  you  ?  Do  you  not  think  that  the  con- 
duct of  Joseph  is  worthy  of  your  highest  effort  to 
imitate  it  1 

It  is,  indeed,  so.  If  you  have  not  felt  and  acted 
at  all  as  he  did,  toward  those  who  have  injured 
you,  then  you  are  like  his  wicked  brethren ;  and 
the  evil  passion  of  revenge  still  finds  a  place  within 
your  breasts. 

You  have  need,  then,  of  sincere  repentance  before 
God  on  this  account.  And  this  should  show  you 
the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  your  heart.  For  you 

L.  J.  11* 


126  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

have  not  the  spirit  of  Joseph.  You  have  not  the 
spirit  of  Christ. 

Christ  forgave  his  enemies,  even  those  wicked 
and  cruel  men  who  nailed  him  to  the  cross !  He 
prayed  for  them  in  his  dying  moments,  that  God 
also  would  forgive  them.  And  he  has  told  us  that 
if  we  do  not  forgive  our  enemies,  those  who  have  in- 
jured us  in  any  way  whatever,  and  pray  for  them, 
and  return  good  for  evil,  God  will  not  forgive  us, 
but  banish  us,  for  ever,  from  his  presence. 

Think  of  all  this.  And  seriously  ask  yourselves 
the  question,  if  these  things  are  so,  whether  you 
must  not  become  very  different  from  what  you  are ; 
whether  you  must  not  have  your  inmost  soul  renew- 
ed and  made  holy  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  before 
you  can  hope  to  enjoy  his  presence  and  favor  in 
heaven  ? 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  127 


CHAPTER     XXIV. 


Pharaoh  and  his  household  glad  to  see  that  the  brethren  of 
Joseph  are  come. — Pharaoh  tells  Joseph  to  invite  his 
father  and  all  his  family  to  come  to  Egypt. — Joseph  fur- 
nishes them  with  things  necessary  for  their  removal. — 
His  parting  advice  to  them. — Peace-making. 

IT  was  not  long  before  the  king  of  Egypt  and  all 
his  household  heard  of  the  strange  things  which 
had  taken  place,  and  that  the  men  who  had  come 
from  Canaan  to  buy  grain  were  the  brethren  of 
Joseph ;  and  that  his  venerable  father  was  still 
living. 

They  were  all,  both  Pharaoh  and  those  who 
were  about  him,  exceedingly  pleased  to  hear  it. 
And  to  show  his  strong  personal  friendship  for 
Joseph,  and  the  deep  interest  that  he  felt  in  the  wel- 
fare of  Jacob  and  the  whole  family,  Pharaoh  re- 
quested Joseph  to  give  this  very  kind  invitation  to 
his  brethren. 

44  Say  unto  thy  brethren,"  said  he,  "  this  do  ye  ; 
lade  your  beasts  and  go,  get  you  unto  the  land  01 
Canaan ;  and  take  your  father,  and  your  households, 
and  come  unto  me :  and  I  will  give  you  the  good 


128  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  ye  shall  eat  the  fat  of  the 
land. 

u  Now  thou  art  commanded,  this  do  ye ;  take 
you  wagons  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  for  your 
little  ones,  and  for  your  wives,  and  bring  your 
father,  and  come.  Also  regard  not  your  £-tuff,"  (the 
furniture,  and  the  various  implements  and  tools  that 
you  have,  and  all  things  of  that  description.) 

The  brethren  of  Joseph  were  overjoyed  at  this 
kindness  of  Pharaoh,  and  prepared  to  follow  his 
directions. 

They  were  furnished  with  wagons  by  Joseph, 
as  Pharaoh  had  commanded,  and  also  with  abun- 
dance of  provisions  for  the  journey.  Joseph  gave 
them,  beside  all  this,  a  supply  of  clothing. 

It  was  customary  for  rich  men,  at  that  time,  to 
present  garments  to  those  whom  they  intended  to 
treat  with  peculiar  respect  and  friendship.  They 
usually  kept  a  large  wardrobe,  or  collection  of  gar- 
ments of  different  kinds  and  sizes,  so  that  they  could 
make  these  presents  whenever  they  chose,  without 
any  delay  or  difficulty. 

Joseph,  in  this  way,  meant  to  let  all  the  Egyp- 
tians see  with  how  much  respect  he  wished  to  treat 
his  brethren,  and  what  an  affectionate  regard  he 
had  for  them. 

He  gave  each  of  them  changes  of  raiment,  or 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  129 

more  than  one  suit ;  but  to  Benjamin  he  gave 
three  hundred  pieces  of  silver,  and  five  changes  of 
raiment. 

He  sent  also,  by  his  brethren,  a  present  to  his 
aged  parent — ten  asses  laden  with  the  good  things 
of  Egypt,  and  ten  others  laden  with  grain  and 
bread  and  nuts,  for  his  father  to  use  on  his  journey 
from  Canaan  to  Egypt. 

After  all  the  preparations  were  made,  the  sons  of 
Jacob  took  leave  of  their  brother,  and  set  out  for 
Hebron. 

His  parting  advice  was  what  they,  doubtless, 
needed.  See,  said  he,  that  ye  fall  not  out  by  the 
way. 

There  was  some  danger,  as  Joseph  thought,  of 
their  doing  this.  They  might  begin  to  find  fault 
with  each  other.  Some  might  charge  others  with 
being  the  first  who  had  proposed  to  take  revenge 
on  Joseph  for  his  offensive  dreams.  Reuben  and 
Judah  might  endeavor  to  free  themselves  from  all 
guilt  in  the  matter,  and  cast  the  severest  reproaches 
upon  the  rest. 

They  might  be  envious  of  Benjamin,  who  had 
been  treated  with  such  distinguished  regard  by 
Joseph,  and  who  had  received  a  present  so  much 
more  valuable  than  any,  or  all,  of  their's.  They 
might  not  treat  him  with  kindness,  and  thus  pre- 


130  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

pare  the  way  for  giving  trouble  to  their  father  on 
their  return  home. 

They  might  dispute,  not  only  ahout  what  had 
happened,  but  about  their  future  plans ;  how  they 
should  carry  their  property  to  Egypt,  and  how  each 
should  retain  and  have  the  management  of  what 
particularly  belonged  to  him. 

Joseph  knew  their  dispositions,  and  how  much 
they  needed  a  word  of  caution ;  and  he  thought, 
that,  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which 
they  were  placed,  it  would  probably  be  regarded, 
and  do  them  good. 

"  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers,"  said  our  Savior, 
44  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God." 

My  dear  children,  in  this  respect,  imitate  the  ex- 
ample of  Joseph.  Do,  each  one  of  you,  be  a  peace- 
maker.  Be  at  peace  among  your  brothers  and  sis- 
ters, and  among  your  companions,  at  all  times.  Do 
all  you  can  to  prevent  disputing  and  quarreling, 
and  to  lead  all  to  love  each  other,  and  to  do  each 
other  good. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  131 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

His  sons,  on  their  arrival,  tell  their  father  that  Joseph  is 
alive. — Jacob's  joy. — They  all  set  out  for  Egypt. — They 
stop  at  Beer-sheba. — An  interesting  spot,  and  why! — 
God's  promise  to  Jacob. — Their  arrival  in  Egypt. 

ONCE  more  the  sons  of  Jacob  were  on  their  way 
to  Canaan.  What  strange  news  they  would  have  to 
tell  to  their  father  and  kindred ;  and  with  what 
mingled  emotions  of  joy  and  shame  they  would  re- 
late the  account  of  Joseph's  prosperity,  and  at  the 
same  time  expose  their  former  cruelty  and  false- 
hood ! 

At  length  they  came  to  Hebron ;  and  the  deepest 
anxiety  was  felt  on  the  part  of  Jacob  and  his  family 
to  know  the  result  of  their  late  visit,  to  see  if  Si- 
meon was  released,  and  if  Benjamin  was  in  safety. 

They  soon  made  it  known  to  their  father  that 
Joseph  was  yet  alive,  and  that  he  was  governor 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 

This  was  too  unexpected,  and  too  astonishing  for 
Jacob,  at  first,  to  receive  as  truth.  He  did  not,  he 
could  not  believe  what  appeared  to  him  like  the 
returning  of  his  son  from  the  dead ;  and  his  heart 
fainted  within  him. 


132  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

But  when  he  heard  more  particularly  all  the 
circumstances,  and  the  message  which  Joseph  had 
sent ;  and  saw  the  wagons  that  were  to  carry  him 
and  all  his  family  to  Egypt,  his  feelings  changed. 
Joy  took  the  place  of  doubt  and  despondency,  and 
the  venerable  patriarch  exclaimed,  It  is  enough; 
Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive :  I  ivill  go  and  see  him 
before  I  die. 

How  the  strength  of  a  father's  love  shows  itself 
in  these  few,  yet  affecting  words.  He  thought  not 
of  the  power  and  rank  of  Joseph,  of  his  great 
wealth,  and  the  splendor  in  which  he  lived.  He 
thought  merely  of  the  simple  fact,  that  he  was  yet 
in  life ;  and  that  he  should  again  meet  the  child  of 
his  beloved  Rachel,  and  the  solace  of  his  declining 
age. 

As  soon  as  a  few  necessary  preparations  were 
made,  Jacob,  and  the  large  family  of  whom  he  was 
the  head,  commenced  their  journey  to  Egypt. 

On  their  way  they  came  to  Beer-sheba,  a  place 
quite  in  the  south-western  part  of  Canaan,  and  about 
twenty  miles  from  Hebron. 

It  was  here  that  Abraham,  the  grandfather  of 
Jacob,  had  formerly  tarried  a  short  time,  and  plant- 
ed a  grove,  in  the  shade  of  which  he  might  en- 
gage in  worship.  And  it  was  here  that  he  had 
offered  up  his  prayers  to  the  ever-living  God. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  133 

It  was  here  that  the  Lord  appeared  unto  Isaac, 
and  said,  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham  thy  father : 
fear  not,  for  I  am  with  thee,  and  will  bless  thee,  and 
will  multiply  thy  seed,  (or  give  thee  very  nume- 
rous descendants,)  for  my  servant  Abraham's  sake." 
After  this,  and  to  commemorate  the  event,  Isaac 
built  an  altar  there,  and  offered  up  his  sacrifices  and 
prayers  to  God. 

And  it  was  while  residing  here,  that  Jacob,  by 
the  direction  of  his  mother  Rebekah,  and  in  a  de- 
ceptive and  very  wicked  way,  obtained  the  blessing 
which  Isaac  had  intended  to  bestow  upon  Esau. 
It  was  from  Beer-sheba  also  that  Jacob,  at  the 
command  of  his  father,  went  on  his  long  journey  to 
Padan-aram,  where  he  married  Rachel,  and  where 
Joseph  was  born. 

The  recollection  of  all  these  circumstances  must 
have  deeply  affected  the  mind  of  the  venerable 
patriarch,  as  he  arrived  at  this  interesting  spot. 

No  doubt  he  looked  back  with  shame  and  con- 
trition at  the  wicked  deception  which  he  had  prac- 
tised upon  his  father,  and  with  devout  gratitude  to 
God  for  all  his  unmerited  goodness. 

Since  he  left  Beer-sheba,  in  how  many  various 
forms  this  goodness  had  visited  him ;  and  now,  to 
crown  it  all,  Joseph  is  still  alive,  and  he  is  on  his 
way  to  meet  him. 

L.  J.  12 


134  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH, 

In  what  more  suitable  place  could  Jacob  acknow- 
ledge the  great  kindness  of  God  toward  him,  and 
pour  out  his  soul  before  him,  in  praise  and  thanks- 
giving! 

He  did  this  ;  for  we  are  told  that  he  offered  sa- 
crifices unto  the  God  of  his  father  Isaac;  unto  that 
God  who  had  promised  to  bless  Isaac,  and  to  give 
him  a  very  numerous  offspring,  as  was  already  be- 
ginning to  be  the  case  in  the  family  of  which  Jacob 
was  the  head. 

This  promise  God  was  now  about  to  renew  to 
Jacob.  For  "  he  spoke  to  him  in  the  visions  of  the 
night,  and  said,  Jacob,  Jacob." 

"  And  he  said,  Here  am  I.  And  he  said,  I  am 
God,  the  God  of  thy  father :  fear  not  to  go  down 
into  Egypt ;  for  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation  : 
I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt ;  and  I  will 
also  surely  bring  thee  up  again :  and  Joseph  shall 
put  his  hand  upon  thine  eyes ;"  that  is,  he  shall 
close  thine  eyes,  as  thou  art  about  to  die. 

This  promise  of  God  was  afterward  abundantly 
fulfilled.  The  descendants  of  Jacob  became  indeed 
a  great  nation,  which  returned  to  Canaan ;  and  in 
this  sense  Jacob  himself  may  be  said  to  have  been 
brought  back  again. 

And  Joseph,  too,  was  permitted  to  close  the  eyes 
of  his  dying  parent ;  a  mark  of  affection  and  respect 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  135 

which  Jacob  must  have  anticipated  with  a  tender 
and  melancholy  pleasure. 

From  Beer-sheba  they  proceeded  on  their  way 
to  Egypt;  "and  the  sons  of  Jacob  carried  their 
father,  and  their  little  ones,  and  their  wives,  in  the 
wagons  which  Pharaoh  had  sent  to  carry  him. 
And  they  took  their  cattle,  and  their  goods,  which 
they  had  gotten  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  came 
into  Egypt,  Jacob,  and  all  his  seed  (or  descendants) 
with  him,"  the  number  of  which  was  sixty-six. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Joseph  meets  his  father  in  Goshen. — He  presents  five  of  his 
brethren  to  Pharaoh,  who  grants  them  leave  to  dwell  in 
Goshen. — Joseph  presents  his  father  to  Pharaoh. — What 
Jacob  says. — Life  short. — What  is  death  1 — Is  the  reader 
prepared  to  die  7 

JOSEPH  had  sent  word  to  his  father  that,  when 
he  and  his  family  came  down  to  Egypt,  they 
should  dwell  in  that  part  of  it  which  was  called 
Goshen.  It  was  on  the  eastern  side  of  Egypt,  ex- 
tending toward  the  Red  Sea  and  the  borders  of 
Canaan. 


136 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


Judah  was  sent  by  Jacob  to  inform  Joseph  of 
his  father's  approach. 

"  And  Joseph  made  ready  his  chariot,  and  went 
up  to  meet  his  father  to  Goshen,  and  presented  him- 
self unto  him ;  and  he  fell  on  his  neck,  and  wept  on 
his  neck  a  good  while." 


What  must  have  been  the  feelings  of  each,  at  this 
moment,  to  meet  once  more,  after  so  long  a  separa- 
tion !  Through  how  many  trials  they  had  passed ! 
What  changes  had  taken  place  in  each  !  Time  had 
whitened  the  locks  of  the  father,  and  age  and  sor- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  137 

row  had  deepened  the  furrows  in  his  cheeks,  and 
bowed  down  his  venerable  form. 

When  they  last  parted,  Joseph  was  a  youth  of 
seventeen,  going-  to  inquire  after  his  brethren,  in  the 
valley  of  Shechem.  He  was  now  arrived  to  mature 
manhood,  a  father,  and  the  governor  of  Egypt. 

Now  let  me  die,  said  Jacob,  since  I  have  seen  thy 
face,  because  thou  art  yet  alive. 

He  could  say  no  more.  The  last  fond  wish  of  his 
heart  was  gratified,  and  he  was  ready  to  depart  in 
peace  as  soon  as  God  should  see  fit  to  call  him 
hence. 

Joseph  then  told  them  that  he  would  go  and  in- 
form Pharaoh  of  their  arrival,  and  let  him  know 
their  occupation — that  they  were  shepherds,  and 
that  they  had  brought  their  flocks  and  their  herds 
with  them.  He  requested  them  also  to  say  the 
same  thing  to  Pharaoh,  when  he  should  make  in- 
quiry of  them,  that  he  might  permit  them  to  settle 
in  the  land  of  Goshen.  For  there  they  would  be  in 
a  country,  as  it  were,  of  their  own,  and  separated 
from  the  Egyptians ;  and  this  Joseph  knew  would 
contribute  greatly  to  their  comfort  and  prosperity. 
They  would  not  be  exposed  to  the  hatred  and 
vexation  of  a  people  who,  you  recollect,  we  have 
before  had  occasion  to  observe,  held  the  business  of 
a  snepherd  in  great  detestation, 

L.  J.  *13 


138  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

After  Joseph  had  given  the  information  to  Pha- 
raoh, he  took  five  of  his  brethren  and  presented 
them  to  the  king. 

On  his  inquiring  what  their  occupation  was,  they 
replied,  "  Thy  servants  are  shepherds,  both  we,  and 
also  our  fathers." 

"  They  said  moreover  unto  Pharaoh,  For  to 
sojourn  in  the  land  are  we  come :  for  thy  servants 
have  no  pasture  for  their  flocks,  for  the  famine  is 
sore  in  the  land  of  Canaan :  now  therefore,  we 
pray  thee,  let  thy  servants  dwell  in  the  land  of 
Goshen." 

The  king  granted  their  request,  and  directed 
Joseph,  if  there  were  any  of  his  brethren  who  were 
fitted,  by  their  activity  and  skill,  for  the  situation,  to 
make  them  overseers  of  his  cattle. 

Joseph,  also  brought  in  Jacob  his  father,  and 
presented  him  to  Pharaoh;  and  Jacob  blessed 
Pharaoh. 

On  the  king's  asking  Jacob  his  age,  he  replied ; 
"  The  days  of  the  years  of  my  pilgrimage  are  an 
hundred  and  thirty  years :  few  and  evil  have  the 
days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been,  and  have  not  at- 
tained unto  the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life  of  my 
fathers,  in  the  days  of  their  pilgrimage." 

A  pilgrim  is  a  person  who  has  no  fixed  home, 
nd  who  is  on  a  long  journey,  tarrying  a  little 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  139 

while  here,  and  a  little  while  there,  and  travelling 
on  to  a  distant  place  which  he  is  very  anxious  to 
reach.  The  whole  course  of  his  way  is  called  his 
pilgrimage. 

Well  might  Jacob  call  himself  a  pilgrim,  and  his 
life  a  pilgrimage.  He  had  been  moving  from  place 
to  place,  and  through  one  scene  and  another ;  and 
now,  in  his  old  age,  had  undertaken  another  jour- 
ney, to  find  another  home.  He  believed,  however, 
that  there  was  still  a  better  home  in  heaven  for  all 
the  people  of  God;  and  thither  he  directed  his 
longing  eyes ;  for  there,  he  trusted,  his  wanderings 
and  trials  would  all  be  over,  and  that  he  should 
find  eternal  rest. 

Many  of  his  ancestors  had  lived  to  a  much  great- 
er age  than  he  could  expect  to  reach  ;  and  although 
he  had  lived  to  number  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years,  how  rapid  had  been  their  flight,  and  how 
few  they  appeared  to  be  in  comparison  with  a  never- 
ending  eternity  !  He  might  well  say  that  they  had 
been  evil ;  for  God  had  seen  fit,  in  his  wise  and 
holy  providence,  to  try  his  servant  Jacob  with 
trouble  and  affliction  in  a  great  variety  of  ways. 

Have  you  ever  thought  that  you,  like  Jacob,  are 
a  pilgrim  on  the  earth  ?  Ah !  you  know  not  how 
many  changes  and  trials  may  await  you !  You  may 
have  to  part  with  your  dear  parents  and  friends, 


140  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

and  to  leave  your  pleasant  home.  You  may  yet 
have  to  pass  through  many  scenes  of  trouble  and 
sorrow.  And  even  if  you  should  have  less,  much 
less,  of  affliction  than  Jacob  had,  and  be  more  as 
he  was  in  his  days  of  comfort  and  prosperity,  re- 
member, your  pilgrimage  will  soon  be  ended. 
Death  must  come  at  last,  and  how  quickly  you 
know  not. 

How  many,  much  younger  than  you  are,  have 
already  ended  their  'pilgrimage.  Take  a  walk  in 
some  neighboring  grave-yard,  and  examine  the 
tomb-stones,  and  see  how  many  are  buried  there, 
the  days  of  whose  pilgrimage  have  been  much 
fewer  than  yours. 

But  what  if  you  should  live  to  old  age.  You 
will  have  then  to  say  as  Jacob  did,  when  you  look 
back  upon  your  past  life,  few  have  been  the  years  of 
my  pilgrimage ;  they  have  gone  like  "  a  vapor,  that 
appeareth  for  a  little  while,  and  then  vanisheth 
away." 

You  will  look  forward,  as  Jacob  did,  into  an  eter- 
nity which  is  never,  never  to  end. 

O  to  be  prepared  to  go  into  that  eternity,  as 
Jacob  was,  when,  on  meeting  Joseph,  he  repeated 
his  readiness  to  die  ! 

Are  you  ready  to  die  ?  It  is  a  solemn  thing  to 
die!  The  hands  cease  to  move,  and  the  lips  to 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  141 

speak ;  the  eyes  to  see,  and  the  ears  to  hear.  The 
lungs  breathe  and  the  heart  beats  no  longer.  The 
whole  body  becomes  stiffl  and  cold,  and  motionless, 
and  it  is  soon  laid  in  the  silent  grave,  there  to  await 
the  summons  to  rise  again  at  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead. 

But  this  is  a  small  part  of  death.  To  the  Chris- 
tian it  should  have  no  terrors.  It  should  seem  to 
him  as  a  gentle  sleep,  and  the  grave  as  a  calm  and 
quiet  resting-place  for  his  frail  and  worn  out  body. 
So  it  has  seemed  to  many  who  have  met  it  in  per- 
fect peace :  and  to  others  who  have  met  it  with 
joy.  O  may  it  seem  so  to  you  when  you  come  to 
die. 

But  the  mere  dissolution  of  the  body  is  but  a 
small  part  of  death. 

Death  separates  the  soul  from  the  body,  and  intro- 
duce.s  it  into  the  eternal  world.  Yes,  this  is  the 
most  solemn  part  of  dying.  Your  soul,  all  that 
within  you  which  thinks,  and  feels,  and  acts,  and  is 
capable  of  enjoyment  and  of  suffering,  your  never- 
dying  soul,  goes  into  the  eternal  world.  It  goes 
there  to  be  happy  or  miserable  for  ever. 

It  goes  there  to  spend  the  long,  long  ages  of  end- 
less existence  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  friendship  and 
favor  of  God,  and  of  the  Savior ;  in  the  society  of 
pure  and  holy  spirits,  who  all  love  God  and  each 


142  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

other ;  in  worshipping  and  serving  the  wisest  and 
the  best  of  beings;  in  admiring  the  countless  ways 
in  which  he  shows  his  wisdom  and  goodness ;  in 
rejoicing  to  see  others  good  and  happy ;  and  in  mak- 
ing, itself,  a  ceaseless  progress  in  knowledge,  in  ho- 
liness, and  in  happiness. 

Or  it  goes  there  to  lose,  this ;  to  be  banished  for 
ever  from  this  scene  of  unmingled  delight ;  to  dwell 
in  a  wretched  place,  with  the  vilest  and  most  mise- 
rable beings  ;  to  see  and  to  hear  what  is  most  sinful 
and  odious ;  to  feel  the  horrors  of  a  guilty  and  re- 
proving conscience ;  to  bewail  the  folly  of  having 
lived  and  died  impenitent,  and  without  faith  in 
Christ ;  to  look  back,  and  find  none  but  painful  re- 
collections ;  to  look  around,  and  see  no  source  of 
comfort  or  relief;  to  look  forward  with  no  hope  of 
change  ;  and  thus,  in  gloomy  and  terrible  despair,  to 
pass  hour  after  hour,  knowing  that  all  this  misery 
must  continue  and  increase,  without  alleviation,'  and 
without  end. 

Art  you  prepared  to  die  1  Do  you  truly  love  and 
trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  143 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 


Jacob  and  his  family  settled  in  Goshen. — God's  goodness  to 
them. — His  goodness  to  the  reader. — Is  the  reader  grateful 
to  God  ? 

JACOB  again  implored  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
Pharaoh,  and  then  left  him. 

Immediately  after  this,  Joseph  took  the  proper 
steps  to  have  his  father,  and  his  brethren,  and  their 
families,  put  in  possession  of  the  land  which  Pha- 
raoh had  directed  to  be  given  to  them  as  the  place 
of  their  residence. 

We  are  told  that  it  was  the  best  of  the  land,  a 
choice  and  favored  spot ;  and  there,  after  all  his 
wanderings  and  trials,  Jacob,  in  his  declining  years, 
was  happily  settled,  with  his  sons  and  their  fami- 
lies around  him.  Joseph,  the  truly  dutiful  child  and 
affectionate  brother,  furnished  them  with  all  that 
was  necessary,  in  the  continued  season  of  famine,  for 
their  support  and  comfort;  while  his  situation  as  go- 
vernor of  Egypt,  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  by  the  people,  were  a  sufficient  security  that 
his  father  and  brethren  should  receive  nothing  but 


144  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

kind  and  respectful  treatment  from  such  of  the  inha- 
bitants as  might  have  intercourse  with  them. 

While  Jacob  and  his  numerous  family  were  en- 
joying, in  this  manner,  the  blessings  of  Providence, 
and  were  fed  from  the  opening  of  his  bountiful  hand, 
how  sensibly  they  must  have  felt  (if  they  all  felt  as 
they  ought)  the  striking  interposition  of  God  in 
their  behalf.    In  the  midst  of  a  most  distressing  fa- 
mine, thus  to  be  safely  removed  to  the  very  country 
in  which  alone  sustenance  was  to  be  found,  was  in 
itself  a  very  wonderful  deliverance.    In  addition  to 
this,  they  were  under  the  protection  of  the  king  of 
this  country,  and  supplied  with  food  from  his  own 
store-houses,  without  any  demand  being  made  upon 
them  to  pay  for  it.    And  then  to  render  this  all  a 
most  striking  illustration  of  the  goodness  of  God  to- 
ward them,  the  protection  and  bounty  of  the  king 
came  to  them  through  the  hands  of  a  son  and  a  bro- 
ther.   Nor  can  we  stop  here ;  this  very  goodness  of 
God  showed  how  full  he  was  of  long-suffering  and 
forbearance  toward  those  whose  cruel   wickedness 
and  falsehood,  over-ruled  by  his  providence,  had  sent 
this  son  and  brother  into  Egypt,  thus  to  be  raised  up 
at  the  very  time  that  they  were  in  extreme  need  of  it, 
to  be  their  deliverer  and  friend. 

You  doubtless  are  ready  to  say  that  Jacob  and 
his  family  had  thus  the  most  abundant  causes  of 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  145 

gratitude  to  God,  and  that  they  ought  to  have  show- 
ed this  gratitude  by  loving  him.  and  obeying  his 
commands. 

And  what  has  God  done  for  you  ?  Have  you 
ever  thought  of  all  his  goodness,  and  his  long-suffer- 
ing and  forbearance  toward  you  ?  For  he  has  been 
doing  you  good,  in  a  countless  variety  of  ways,  ever 
since  you  were  born,  notwithstanding  you  have  sin- 
ned so  much  and  so  often  against  him. 

He  has  as  truly  taken  care  of  you,  and  supplied 
all  your  wants  by  the  hands  of  your  parents  and 
friends,  as  he  did  the  wants  of  Jacob  and  his  family 
by  the  hands  of  Joseph. 

You  have  had  no  famine  to  distress  and  alarm 
you.  You  have  not  been  obliged  to  leave  your 
homes,  and  to  go  to  another  country  in  quest  of 
food. 

You  have  lived  in  a  land  even  more  to  be  desired 
as  a  place  of  residence  than  Goshen.  O !  you  have 
had  tens  of  thousands,  innumerable  comforts,  and 
mercies,  and  privileges.  And  you  enjoy  them  in 
abundance  still. 

Are  you  truly  grateful  to  God  for  all  those  bless- 
ings, and  to  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  shed  his 
blood  on  the  cross  that  all  who  believe  in  him  may 
be  saved  ?  Do  you  show  this  gratitude  by  loving 
and  obeying  God,  by  imitating  the  example  of  the 

L.  J.  13 


146  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Savior,  and  by  doing  all  you  can  to  make  others 
good  and  happy  ? 

These  are  serious  questions.  But  it  is  important 
that  you  should  think  of  them,  and  answer  them. 
How  will  you  answer  them?  Must  you  say  that 
you  know  not  what  it  is  to  fed  grateful  to  God  and 
his  Son,  and  to  seek  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  to 
promote  the  real  good  of  others,  even  the  good  of 
their  souls  ? 

How  ready  you  are  to  say  that  Jacob  and  his  fa- 
mily would  have  shown  themselves  to  be  most  wick- 
ed and  ungrateful,  if  they  had  not  felt  thankful  to 
God  for  all  his  mercies,  and  endeavored  to  love  him 
and  obey  his  commands  !  How  could  they  be  so 
base  and  unfeeling  !  you  would  exclaim. 

Cast  these  reproaches  upon  yourself.  While  you 
think  thus  of  what  it  seems  to  you  would  be  so  base 
and  unfeeling,  had  Jacob  and  his  family  had  no  gra- 
titude toward  God ;  think  of  the  judgment  Avhich 
Gcod  and  his  Son,  and  all  holy  beings  must  pass  up- 
on your  feelings  and  conduct:  and  how  base  and 
unfeeling,  how  ungrateful  and  wicked  you  must 
appear  in  their  sight  ? 

What  have  you  to  do  but  to  humble  yourself  be- 
fore God,  and  to  repent  of  this  ingratitude,  and  of 
all  your  other  sins  ?  What  have  you  to  do  but  to 
confess  all  these  your  sins  to  God  ;  and  to  beseech 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  147 

him,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  pardon  you ;  and  to  shed 
down  upon  you  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  with  a  peni- 
tent and  grateful  heart  you  may  henceforth  love 
him  with  your  whole  soul,  and  seek  to  do  his  will? 
Will  you  do  this,  and  thus  secure  the  favor  of 
God,  the  friendship  of  Christ,  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit,  and  be  blessed  in  this  life,  and  be  blessed  for 
ever ! 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

The  Egyptians  give  their  cattle  to  Joseph  for  food. — They 
are  again  in  want,  and  give  themselves  and  their  land. — 
He  gives  them  seed  to  sow. — A  perpetual  law,  that  one 
fifth  of  all  the  produce  shall  be  the  king's.— Remarks  on 
the  conduct  of  Joseph. 

THE  famine  was  still  very  distressing,  both  in 
Egypt  and  in  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  and  we  read  in 
the  Bible,  that  the  people  fainted,  or  were  exceed- 
ingly feeble  and  disheartened  in  consequence  of  it. 

Joseph  had  continued  to  sell  grain  to  the  inha- 
bitants of  Egypt  and  of  Canaan,  and  to  receive  their 
money  in  payment,  until  they  had  nearly  parted 
with  it  all.  This  money  he  took  and  deposited  in 


148  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

the  house  of  Pharaoh,  as  it  was  the  property  of  the 
king. 

When  the  money  was  almost  all  gone,  the  Egyp- 
tians came  to  Joseph  in  their  distress,  and  said, 
"  Give  us  bread ;  for  why  should  we  die  in  thy  pre- 
sence ?  for  the  money  faileth." 

Joseph  had  some  good  reason  for  not  providing 
the  Egyptians  with  grain,  without  any  compensation 
on  their  part  He  might  have  seen  that  it  would 
make  many  of  them  idle,  and  that  others  would  not 
use  it  in  the  most  prudent  and  economical  way  for 
themselves  and  their  cattle. 

He  told  them  that  he  would  take  their  cattle  in 
payment  for  the  grain ;  and  he  might  thus  have 
found  another  advantage  in  this  course,  that  of  sav- 
ing the  lives  of  many  of  these  animals,  which  would 
otherwise  have  perised  with  hunger. 

So  the  Egyptians  brought  their  cattle  to  Joseph, 
"  and  he  gave  them  bread  in  exchange  for  horses, 
and  for  the  flocks,  and  for  the  cattle  of  the  herds, 
and  for  the  asses ;  and  he  fed  them  with  bread,  for 
all  their  cattle,  that  year." 

But  soon  all  the  cattle  were,  in  this  way,  exchang- 
ed for  the  food  that  the  people  received  from  Joseph  ; 
and  they  were  once  more  in  great  necessity, 

They  had  still  their  lands  to  offer,  and  they  them- 
selves, as  servants,  or  bondmen,  to  the  king.  They 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  149 

did  this  :  and  Joseph  gave  them  food,  and  thus  ac- 
quired for  Pharaoh,  as  his  own  property,  all  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  the  services  of  the  inhabitants  to  labor 
for  his  benefit,  and  in  any  way  that  he  directed. 

This  happened  during  the  last  year  of  the  famine  ; 
so  that  the  people  were  expecting,  the  succeeding 
year,  that  the  earth  would  begin  again  to  bring  forth 
in  abundance,  if  the  seed  was  planted. 

They  begged  Joseph  therefore  for  seed,  at  the  same 
time  that  they  offered  him  their  land,  and  them- 
selves, in  payment  for  food  ;  that  they  might  provide 
for  the  coming  year ;  and  that  there  might  be  a  sup- 
ply of  grain  throughout  Egypt. 

Before  he  complied  with  this  request,  however,  he 
removed  all  the  inhabitants,  from  the  small  towns 
and  the  country,  into  the  cities.  He  did  this,  proba- 
bly, because  it  would  be  so  much  easier  to  deal  out 
their  food  to  them,  if  they  were  near  the  store-houses 
in  which  the  grain  was  deposited  ;  and  these  store- 
houses, you  recollect,  were  all  in  the  cities. 

The  priests  (or  princes,  as  the  original  word  is 
by  some  translated)  received  their  supply  of  food 
from  the  king  without  being  obliged  to  give  up  their 
land,  as  the  other  inhabitants  did. 

They  were  probably  considered  as  a  higher  and 
privileged  class  of  the  community.  From  among 
them  the  king  chose  his  chief  officers,  and  other 

L.  J,  13* 


150  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

magistrates,  to  assist  him  in  the  government ;  and 
their  various  duties  were  such  that  they  were  all 
fed,  during  the  famine,  at  the  expense  of  Pharaoh. 

In  due  season,  before  the  expiration  of  the  last 
year  of  the  famine,  Joseph  distributed  seed  among 
the  inhabitants.  In  doing  this  he  said :  "  Behold,  I 
have  bought  you  this  day,  and  your  land,  for  Pha- 
raoh :  lo,  here  is  seed  for  you,  and  ye  shall  sow  the 
land.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  in  the  increase, 
that  ye  shall  give  the  fifth  part  unto  Pharaoh,  and 
four  parts  shall  be  your  own,  for  seed  of  the  field, 
and  for  your  food,  and  for  them  of  your  households, 
and  for  food  for  your  little  ones." 

This  giving  a  fifth  part  of  the  annual  increase 
of  the  land  to  the  king,  continued  to  be  a  law  in 
Egypt,  with  regard  to  all  the  inhabitants  excepting 
the  priests,  who  paid  no  tax  of  this  kind. 

At  the  present  day,  we  should  not  think  it  right 
for  one,  in  the  situation  in  which  Joseph  was,  to 
oblige  those  who  were  nearly  perishing  with  hun- 
ger, to  sell  their  lands  and  themselves  for  food ;  or 
even  to  accept  of  such  an  offer,  if  it  should  be  made 
voluntarily  on  their  part.  But  we  know  not  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  case.  If  we  do  not  justify 
Joseph  in  what  he  did,  let  us  consider  how  differ- 
ent may  have  been  the  opinions  which  prevailed 
among  men  at  that  time  on  this  subject ;  and  that 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  151 

there  was,  by  no  means,  the  same  degree  of  light 
that  there  is  now  with  regard  to  the  rig/Us  which 
each  man  possesses,  and  with  regard  to  the  duties 
which  we  owe  to  each  other. 

Besides,  the  inhabitants  seem,  at  last,  to  have 
had  the  entire  use  of  the  land,  and  to  have  enjoyed 
the  entire  fruits  of  their  labor,  with  the  exception  of 
a  fifth  part  of  the  increase,  which  they  paid  as  a  tax 
to  the  king. 

While  these  things  were  going  on  in  the  other 
parts  of  Egypt,  Jacob  and  his  family  were  dwelling 
in  Goshen  peacefully  and  safely.  Their  families 
increased  rapidly  in  numbers  ;  and  during  the  years 
that  succeeded  the  famine,  they  added  to  the  extent 
and  value  of  their  possessions,  and  became  exceed- 
ingly prosperous  and  flourishing. 


152  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Jacob  drawing  near  the  close  of  his  life. — Joseph  visits  him. 
— What  is  an  oath7? — Its  solemn  obligation  explained. — 
Jacob  requires  Joseph  to  swear  that  he  will  bury  the 
body  of  his  father  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah. — Joseph 
takes  an  oath  to  do  this. 

IT  was  seventeen  years  after  Jacob  was  settled 
with  his  family  in  Egypt,  and  when  he  was  one 
hundred  and  forty-seven  years  old,  that  he  found 
himself  becoming  very  feeble,  and  evidently  draw- 
ing near  the  close  of  life. 

So  he  sent  for  Joseph,  that  he  might  see  him  in 
season,  to  make  a  request  of  him  which  lay  very 
near  his  heart. 

It  was  an  event  which  Joseph  had  thought  for 
some  time  could  not  be  far  distant ;  yet  it  was  one 
which  affected  him  deeply,  and  he  went,  in  sadness, 
to  visit  his  father,  whose  dying  counsels  he  now  ex- 
pected to  hear. 

Among  other  things,  there  was  ont,  as  I  have 
said,  which  lay  very  near  the  heart  of  Jacob.  He 
had  a  wish  to  be  buried  in  Canaan,  in  the  land  01 
his  fathers;  and  that  his  body  should  lie  with 
theirs,  in  their  own  burying-place. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  153 

Abraham  had  bought  the  cave  of  Machpelah  for 
this  purpose.  It  was  there  that  his  remains  were 
laid  by  his  sons  Isaac  and  Ishmael.  It  was  there 
that  Jacob  and  his  brother  Esau  had  laid  the  body 
of  his  father  Isaac.  It  was  there  that  Sarah,  and 
Rebekah,  and  Leah  were  buried  ;  and  it  was  there 
that  Jacob  now  desired  to  be  laid,  after  his  decease, 
by  his  own  children. 

He  was  so  very  anxious  to  have  this  desire  of  his 
heart  accomplished,  that  he  would  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  a  solemn  oath  from  Joseph  to  that 
effect. 

An  oath  is  a  peculiar  way  of  stating  what  we 
believe  to  be  the  truth,  or  of  making  a  promise.  It 
is  the  same  thing  as  if  the  person  who  takes  the 
oath  should  say,  "  I  believe  that  God  now  sees  me, 
and  knows  all  my  secret  thoughts  and  feelings.  I 
believe  that  he  will  be  very  angry  with  me  if  I  do 
not  tell  the  exact  truth ;  or  if  I  promise  what  I  do 
not  truly  intend  to  perform.  I  believe  that  he  will 
not  only  be  angry  with  me  for  doing  so,  but  that  he 
will  punish  me  severely.  I  believe  that  there  is  a 
future  judgment,  at  which  God  will  judge  all  men 
according  to  what  they  have  done  in  this  world ; 
and  I  believe  that  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell ;  to 
the  former  of  which  those  who  love  and  obey  God 
will  be  admitted:  and  to  the  latter  of  which  those 


154  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

who  disobey  him  and  die  impenitent  will  he  sen- 
tenced, to  endure  the  terrible  expressions  of  his 
hatred  of  sin. 

"  Believing  this,  I  give  up  all  my  hope  in  the 
future  mercy  of  God  toward  me,  if  I  now  say  or 
do  any  thing  which  is  not  exactly  and  strictly 
true ;  and  am  willing  that  God  should  cast  me  oft* 
from  his  presence,  and  sentence  me  to  the  pains 
of  hell,  for  ever." 

This  is  taking  an  oath,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  swearing. 

I  have  given  you  this  account  of  it,  that  you  may 
always  remember  what  a  solemn  transaction  it  is : 
a  transaction,  not  between  men  merely,  but  between 
the  person  who  takes  the  oath,  and  the  great  God, 
the  supreme  Judge  of  heaven  and  of  earth. 

Many  persons,  when  they  are  called  upon  to  take 
an  oath,  do  it  without  much  reflection,  arid  in  a  very 
light  and  careless  manner.  And  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
that  sometimes  those  who  call  upon  persons  to 
swear,  are  equally  unconcerned.  This  must  all  be 
very  displeasing  to  God.  I  hope  and  pray,  my  dear 
children,  that  if  you  are  ever  placed  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, so  as  either  to  receive  an  oath  from 
another,  or  to  swear  yourselves,  you  will  not  forget 
how  solemn  a  transaction  it  is,  and  that  you  will 
act  in  a  very  serious  and  becoming  manner. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  155 

Jacob  acted  in  this  manner  when  he  required  an 
oath  from  Joseph.  They  both  felt  that  it  was  a  very 
solemn  thing,  and  that  God  was  present  with  them 
in  the  performance  of  it. 

The  mode  of  doing  it  was  very  different  from 
that  which  is  now  practised.  At  the  present  day, 
while  a  person  is  swearing,  or  taking  an  oath,  in 
some  places,  he  holds  up  his  right  hand,  as  a  sign 
of  his  appeal  to  God,  which  appeal  I  have  already 
described.  In  other  places,  as  a  sign  of  the  same 
thing,  he  kisses  the  Bible. 

The  sign  of  this  appeal  to  God,  which  Jacob  re- 
quired of  Joseph,  was  a  singular  one.  There  have 
been  many  things  written  by  learned  men  to  ex- 
plain it ;  but,  after  all,  it  is  very  doubtful  whether 
the  reason  of  it  is  at  all  known.  At  any  rate,  I  shall 
not  undertake  to  explain  it. 

Said  Jacob  to  Joseph,  "  If  now  I  have  found  grace 
in  thy  sight,  (if  you  truly  love  me,  my  son,  and  are 
willing  to  do  me  a  great  favor,)  put,  I  pray  thee,  thy 
hand  under  my  thigh,  and  deal  kindly  and  truly 
with  me ;  bury  me  not,  I  pray  thee,  in  Egypt :  but 
I  will  lie  with  my  fathers,  and  thou  shalt  carry  me 
out  of  Egypt,  and  bury  me  in  their  burying-place. 
And  he  said,  I  will  do  as  thou  hast  said.  And  he 
said,  swear  unto  me. 


156  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

"And  Joseph  sware  unto  him.  And  Israel  (or 
Jacob)  bowed  himself  upon  the  bed's  head." 

Some  learned  men.  who  are  well  acquainted  with 
the  Hebrew  language,  think  that  the  Hebrew  word 
which  is  translated,  in  our  English  Bible,  the  bed's 
head,  or  the  head  of  the  bed,  might  better  have  been 
put  into  English,  thus — the  top  of  the  staff. 

So  that  the  meaning  would  be,  that  Jacob  bowed 
himself  down,  or  worshipped  God,  leaning,  on  ac- 
count of  his  feebleness,  on  the  top  of  his  staff,  to 
support  him. 

This  is  very  probably  the  meaning;  and  it 
shows  us  how  solemn  a  transaction  Jacob  thought 
it  was,  in  which  himself  and  Joseph  had  been  en- 
gaged, and  on  which  he  thus  bowed  himself  before 
God  to  implore  his  blessing. 

After  this,  Joseph  returned  home ;  expecting, 
however,  very  soon  to  be  called  again  to  the  dying 
bed  of  his  venerable  parent. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  157 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

Joseph  goes  to  be  with  his  father  when  he  dies.— He  takes 
his  sons  with  him.— -Jacob  considers  them  as  his  own  chil- 
dren,— He  blesses  them.— 'Explanation  of  this  blessing. 

THE  melancholy  tidings  at  length  came  to  Jo- 
seph, that  his  father  was  now  very  near  to  the  bor- 
ders of  the  grave. 

Joseph  hastened  to  see  him,  that  he  might  comfort 
him  in  his  last  moments,  and  pay  every  attention 
and  respect  that  was  due  to  so  good  and  kind  a 
parent.  He  took  with  him  his  two  sons,  Manasseh 
and  Ephraim ;  the  former  about  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  the  latter  a  year  younger.  Their  father  was 
now  about  fifty-six  years  of  age. 

Jacob,  at  this  time,  was  so  feeble  that  he  was  con- 
fined to  his  bed  ;  when  he  was  told,  however,  that 
Joseph  had  come  to  see  him,  it  was  such  pleasing- 
news,  and  revived  him  so  much,  that  he  had  strength 
enough  to  sit  up  on  the  bed  to  welcome  his  son,  and 
converse  with  him. 

He  wished  to  tell  him  things  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance before  he  died.  He  remembered  the  pro- 
mises which  God  had  made  to  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 

L.  j.  14 


158  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

and  himself ;  and  desired  to  have  Joseph  feel  how 
deeply  he  and  his  sons  were  interested  in  them. 

He  spoke  of  God's  appearing  to  him  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  and  blessing  him  :  and  of  the  promise 
made  to  him  at  that  time,  that  his  descendants  should 
become  an  exceedingly  numerous  people,  to  whom 
God  would  give  the  land  of  Canaan  for  an  everlast- 
ing possession. 

He  then  told  Joseph  that  he  considered  Manasseh 
and  Ephraim  as  his  own  children,  belonging  to  his 
family  as  truly  as  his  own  sons  did,  and  entitled, 
together  with  their  descendants,  to  an  equal  share  in 
all  the  blessings  which  had  been  promised  to  him 
and  to  his  posterity. 

His  faith  in  the  promises  of  God  was  firm*  He 
had  no  doubt  of  their  fulfillment,  and  that  his  de- 
scendants would  return  to  the  land  of  his  fathers.  It 
was  this  which  led  him  to  make  Joseph  swear  that 
his  remains  should  be  carried  back  to  Canaan.  And 
he  wished,  by  having  this  done,  and  by  what  he  was 
now  saying,  to  produce  in  his  son,  and  in  all  his  chil- 
dren, and  in  their  descendants,  the  strongest  attach- 
ment to  the  country  of  their  ancestors,  and  the  most 
ardent  desire  to  return  there,  as  soon  as  Providence 
should  open  the  way. 

To  Canaan  his  own  attachment  was  strong,  even 
in  death.  It  afforded  him  a  melancholy  pleasure  to 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  159 

think  that  it  would  be  the  place  of  his  burial.  Its 
past  scenes  filled  his  soul  with  the  most  tender  re- 
collections ;  and  he  would  make  yet  another  impres- 
sion in  favor  of  his  beloved  country  on  the  heart  of 
Joseph,  by  recalling  to  his  mind  one  of  these  scenes 
which  a  son  could  never  think  of  unmoved. 

"  And  as  for  me/'  said  the  venerable  patriarch, 
"when  I  came  from  Padan,  Rachel  died  by  me  in 
the  land  of  Canaan  in  the  way,  when  yet  there  was 
but  a  little  way  to  come  unto  Ephrath :  and  I  buried 
her  there  in  the  way  of  Ephrath." 

All  nations  have  loved  the  spot  where  the  bones 
of  their  ancestors  repose.  The  graves  of  our  fathers ! 
How  many  affecting  thoughts  are  called  up  by  these 
words  !  Who  can  think  of  the  place  where  the  re- 
mains of  a  parent  are  laid,  of  a  brother  or  sister,  of 
kindred  and  friends,  without  the  deepest  emotion  ! 

I  cannot  but  suppose  that  his  father's  tender  men- 
tion of  Rachel,  of  her  death  and  burial,  touched  the 
heart  of  Joseph  with  sadness,  and  that  he  dropped  the 
tears  of  filial  gratitude  to  the  memory  of  a  beloved 
mother. 

The  advanced  age  of  Jacob  had  nearly  deprived 
him  of  sight.  He  saw  a  little,  but  very  indistinctly. 

"  Who  are  these  ?"  said  he,  as  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  two  young  men  who  were  standing 
near  his  bed. 


160  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

"  They  are  my  sons,"  said  Joseph,  "  whom  God 
hath  given  me  in  this  place." 

"Bring  them,  I  pray  thee,  unto  me,  and  I  will  bless 
them,"  was  the  affectionate  request  of  their  grand- 
father. 

On  their  being  brought  near  to  him,  he  kissed 
them  and  embraced  them,  and  observed  to  Joseph 
that  he  once  thought  he  should  never  see  him 
again  ;  and  yet  God  had  not  only  permitted  him  to 
do  this,  but  to  see  his  children  also. 

Joseph  then  withdrew  his  sons  from  the  embraces 
of  his  father,  and  bowed  himself  with  his  face  to  the 
earth. 

He  did  this  to  show  Jacob  and  all  around  him  the 
deep  affection  and  respect  which  he  felt  for  his  ve- 
nerable parent,  and  how  entirely  he  forgot  that  he 
was  the  rich  and  powerful  governor  of  Egypt,  when 
he  stood,  a  son,  by  the  bed  of  a  dying  father. 

He  arose  and  again  brought  his  sons  near  their 
grandfather,  to  receive  his  blessing.  In  doing  this, 
he  wished  Jacob,  as  was  customary,  to  place  his 
right  hand  on  the  head  of  the  eldest,  and  his  left 
hand  on  the  head  of  the  youngest,  while  blessing 
them.  He  therefore  took  Ephraim  in  his  right  hand, 
leading  him  toward  Jacob's  left  hand,  and  Manasseh 
in  his  left  hand,  leading  him  toward  Jacob's  right 
hand. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  161 

But  what,  was  his  surprise  to  see  his  father  imme- 
diately cross  his  hands,  so  as  to  place  his  right  hand 
on  the  head  of  Ephraim,  the  youngest ;  and  his  left 
hand  on  the  head  of  Manasseh,  the  eldest ;  and  pro- 
ceed to  implore  the  blessing  of  God  upon  them. 

"  And  he  blessed  Joseph,  (for  he  blessed  the  fa- 
ther in  blessing  his  children,)  and  said,  God,  before 
whom  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did  walk, 
(whom  they  loved  and  obeyed,)  the  God  which  fed 
me  all  my  life  long  unto  this  day,  the  angel  which 
redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads ;  and  let 
my  name  be  named  on  them,  and  the  name  of  my 
fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac ;  and  let  them  grow 
into  a  multitude  in  the  midst  of  the  earth." 

It  would  take  a  long  time  to  go  into  an  explanation 
of  what  Jacob  probably  intended  by  the  word  angel. 
Many  learned  and  good  men  think  that  it  was  the. 
Son  of  God  himself,  who  afterward  came  down  to 
live  and  die  in  our  world,  even  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  Jacob  referred.  If  so,  Jacob  might 
well  speak  of  his  having  redeemed  him  from  all 
evil,  and  pray  that  his  blessing  might  rest  upon  the 
sons  of  Joseph  to  redeem  them  from  all  evil  also. 
For  Christ,  you  know,  is  the  great  Redeemer ;  who, 
having  poured  out  his  blood  on  the  cross,  to  save 
from  sin  and  from  hell  all  who  put  their  trust  in 
him,  will  bless  them,  and  keep  them  from  evil,  and 

L.  j.  14* 


162  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

bring  them,  at  last,  to  be  with  him,  for  ever,  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

In  praying  that  his  name  and  the  name  of  Abra- 
ham and  Isaac  might  be  named  on  Ephraim  and 
Manasseh,  Jacob  intended  to  pray  that  they  might 
be,  indeed,  placed  by  God  in  the  great  family  to 
which  he  and  his  father  and  grandfather  belonged, 
and  thus  have  a  share  in  the  blessings  that  had 
been  promised  to  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  himself, 
and  their  offspring.  Jacob's  prayer,  that  the  descend- 
ants of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh  might  grow  into  a 
multitude,  was,  at  a  subsequent  period,  strikingly 
answered.  For  in  the  time  of  Moses,  less  than  two 
hundred  and  forty  years  afterward,  the  number  of 
those,  among  their  descendants,  who  were  twenty 
years  of  age  and  upward,  and  able  to  go  to  war, 
amounted  to  eighty-five  thousand  two  hundred,  a 
greater  number  than  were  found  among  the  de- 
scendants of  any  other  of  the  sons  of  Jacob 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  163 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Conclusion  of  Jacob's  blessing  on  the  sons  of  Joseph. — Jo- 
seph's portion. — Jacob's  prophecy,  and  blessing  his  sons. 
His  death. — Does  the  reader  wish  to  die  as  Jacob  did  *? 

"WHEN  Joseph  saw  that  his  father  laid  his  right 
hand  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim,  it  displeased  him  : 
and  he  held  up  his  father's  hand  to  remove  it  from 
Ephraim's  head  unto  Manasseh's  head.  And  Jo- 
seph said  unto  his  father,  Not  so,  rny  father  :  for  this 
is  the  first  born;  put  thy  right  hand  upon  his  head. 
And  his  father  refused,  and  said,  I  know  it,  my  sou, 
I  know  it ;  he  also  shall  become  a  people,  and  he 
also  shall  be  great;  (that- is,  the  descendants  of 
Manasseh  shall  become  very  numerous  and  power- 
ful.) 

"  But  truly  his  younger  brother  shall  be  greater 
than  he;  and  his  seed  (or  descendants)  shall  be- 
come a  multitude  of  nations." 

In  concluding  his  blessing  on  the  sons  of  Joseph, 
Jacob  said,  "  In  thee  shall  Israel  (or  my  descend- 
ants, the  Israelites)  bless,  saying,  God  make  thee  as 
Ephraim,  and  as  Manasseh.  And  he  set  Ephraim 
before  Manasseh." 

By  this  Jacob  meant  that  Ephraim  and  his  de- 


164  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

scendants  (all  of  whom,  as  one  people,  or  tribe,  were 
called  Ephraim)  would  become  very  powerful  and 
prosperous,  and  that  this  would  be  true  also  of  Ma- 
nasseh  and  his  descendants ;  and  that  the  people  of 
Israel,  seeing  this,  when  they  wished  to  pray  for 
blessings  on  any  one,  would  pray  that  God  would 
make  him  as  prosperous  as  those  who  belonged  to 
the  tribes  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh. 

While  pronouncing  this  blessing  on  his  two 
grandchildren,  and  in  what  he  soon  after  said  to 
his  own  sons  before  his  death,  Jacob  was  undoubt- 
edly under  a  peculiar  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
By  this  he  was  enabled  to  look  forward  and  pre- 
dict many  things  which  would  happen  to  his  de- 
scendants ;  and  his  predictions  were  afterward  ful- 
filled in  a  very  remarkable  manner. 

He  spoke  now  of  his  approaching  dissolution. 
"  Behold,  I  die ;  but  God  shall  be  with  you,  (ad- 
dressing Joseph,)  and  bring  you  again  unto  the 
land  of  your  fathers  ;"  that  is,  God  will  bring  your 
descendants,  and  the  descendants  of  my  other  sons 
— the  whole  nation  of  the  Israelites — out  of  Egypt, 
and  carry  you  back,  as  a  people,  to  Canaan. 

"  Moreover,  I  have  given  to  thee  one  portion 
above  thy  brethren,  which  I  took  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Amorite  with  my  sword  and  rny  bow." 

It  is  supposed  that  the  portion  of  land  which  Ja- 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  165 

cob  thus  bequeathed  to  Joseph  and  his  descendants, 
was  in  the  town  of  Shechem,  and  the  same  which 
he  bought  of  the  sons  of  Hamor.  It  is  probable  that 
the  Amorites  took  it  from  him  by  .force,  and  that  he 
afterward  recovered  it  by  fighting-  for  it.  Here  it 
was  that  the  remains  of  Joseph  Avere  finally  laid; 
and  this  is  the  place  mentioned  in  the  fourth  chap- 
ter of  St.  John's  Gospel,  where  our  Savior  is  spoken 
of  as  coming  to  "  Sychar,  near  to  the  parcel  of 
ground  that  Jacob  gave  to  his  son  Joseph." 

The  aged  patriarch  had  one  more  solemn  and  af- 
fecting duty  to  perform.  It  was  to  give  to  all  his  sons 
a  prophetic  view  of  what  their  descendants  would 
be,  in  their  respective  families  or  tribes,  when  they 
should  be  in  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 

"  Gather  yourselves  together,"  said  he,  "  that  I 
may  tell  you  that  which  shall  befall  you  in  the  last 
days.  Gather  yourselves  together,  and  hear,  ye  sons 
of  Jacob;  and  hearken  unto  Israel  your  father." 

There  they  all  stood  round  the  dying  bed  of  their 
beloved  parent,  twelve  in  number,  not  one  was  miss- 
ing. What  a  scene  for  him  to  witness,  after  all  the 
trials  and  changes  through  which  both  he  and  they 
had  passed  !  What  affecting  counsels,  and  wonder- 
ful predictions  for  them  to  hear  from  the  lips  of  one 
who,  about  to  enter  the  unseen  world,  had  the  vi- 
sions of  futurity  spread  out  before  him  ! 


166  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

It  would  occupy  too  much  time  to  go  through  the 
particulars  of  this  prophecy  of  Jacob.  You  can  read 
it  at  your  leisure ;  or  rather,  you  can  study  it  with 
the  aid  of  your  parents  and  teachers,  and  of  such 
books  as  they  may  provide.  For  there  are  many 
things  in  it  that  are  difficult  to  be  understood  ; 
though,  at  such  time  as  your  age  and  capacity  may 
render  proper,  you  will  find  in  it  a  great  deal  to 
lead  you  to  admire  the  wonderful  Providence  of 
God,  and  to  see  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures,  in  the 
fulfillment,  years  after  it  was  given,  of  this  wonder- 
ful prophecy. 

After  uttering  it,  and  blessing  each  one  of  his 
sons,  Jacob  charged  them,  in  the  most  solemn  man- 
ner, to  bury  him  with  his  fathers  in  the  field  of 
Machpelah,  near  Hebron.  Till  this  time  he  had 
been  sitting  up  on  his  bed,  deriving  a  momentary 
strength  from  the  visit  of  his  beloved  Joseph,  and 
from  the  subjects  of  deep  interest  which  occupied  his 
mind.  The  spirit  of  prophecy  too,  that  was  shed 
down  upon  him,  lighted  up  the  faculties  of  his  soul 
with  even  'more  than  their  usual  brightness ;  and 
those  around  him  could  hardly  believe  that  what 
they  heard  came  from  the  lips  of  one  drawing  so 
near  to  the  very  close  of  life. 

But  he  had  now  discharged  his  last  solemn  du- 
ties. He  had  given  his  sons  his  parting  blessing. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  167 

Exhausted  by  the  efforts  which  he  had  made,  he 
found  himself  sinking  away,  and  about  to  die.  He 
sought  to  place  himself  in  a  composed  posture ;  and 
gathering  up  his  feet  into  the  bed,  and  reclining  on 
it,  he  peacefully  breathed  his  last,  and  resigned  his 
soul  into  the  hands  of  his  Maker. 

Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of 
his  saints. 

Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous^  and  let  my 
last  end  be  like  his. 

Do  you  wish  thus  to  die  ?  Trust  in  God,  as  Ja- 
cob did.  Trust  in  Christ,  who  is  so  fully  revealed 
to  you  as  the  only  Savior.  Love  him.  Obey  him. 
Imitate  him.  Devote  yourself  to  his  service,  in  the 
delightful  employment  of  doing  good  to  others.  Feel 
that  you  are  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim  on  the  earth, 
as  Jacob  did.  Love  not  the  world.  Fix  your  hopes 
on  heaven.  Live,  as  Jacob  did,  by  faith.  Desire, 
when  all  your  work  is  done,  to  go  to  the  land  of 
promise  in  the  skies — to  the  Canaan  of  eternal  rest. 

Then  you  may  hope  to  die,  as  Jacob  did,  with- 
out fear  or  terror,  calmly  and  sweetly ;  ready  to 
leave  this  world  of  cares  and  trials,  and  to  go  and 
be  for  ever  with  the  Lord. 


168  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER     XXXII. 


Joseph's  grief  at  his  father's  death, — He  orders  the  body  to 
be  embalmed. — Mourning  for  Jacob. — His  funeral. — He 
is  buried  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah, — The  fear  of  Joseph's 
brethren  lest  he  should  punish  them, — Pains  of  a  guilty 
conscience. 

JOSEPH  was  greatly  overcome  by  the  death  of 
Jacob.  He  fell  upon  his  father1  s  face,  and  wept  upon 
him,  and  kissed  him.  How  strong  must  have  been 
his  attachment  to  this  beloved  parent ;  how  deep  his 
sorrow  at  parting  with  him  ! 

He  had  just  closed  his  eyes  while  dying,  and  now 
wished  to  show  him  every  mark  of  respect,  and  to 
bury  him  in  such  a  manner,  that  both  his  brethren 
and  the  Egyptians  might  see  how  much  he  loved 
and  venerated  his  character. 

As  was  customary  at  that  time,  Joseph  command- 
ed his  servants,  the  physicians,  to  embalm  his  father* 
This  was  a  curious  process,  by  which  the  dead  body 
was  secured  against  putrefaction,  and  its  general  ap- 
pearance and  features  preserved  in  such  a  way 
that  it  would  remain  for  a  long,  long  course  of 
years. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  169 

They  were  employed  forty  days  in  completing 
this  process,  which,  with  the  previous  thirty,  occu- 
pied in  the  preparatory  steps,  made,  in  the  whole,  a 
period  of  seventy  days,  or  ten  weeks. 

This  was  to  Joseph,  and  the  family  of  Jacob,  a 
season  of  mourning,  in  which,  we  are  told,  the 
Egyptians  united  with  them;  thus  showing  how 
greatly  Joseph  was  esteemed  by  Pharaoh  and  his 
people,  and  how  they  sought  to  manifest  their 
esteem  by  this  expression  of  sorrow  for  the  death 
of  his  venerable  father. 

At  the  end  of  these  seventy  days  Joseph  obtained 
permission  of  Pharaoh  to  go  to  Canaan  to  bury 
Jacob,  as  he  had  promised  him,  with  an  oath,  that 
he  would  do. 

It  was  a  great  funeral.  Joseph,  and  all  the  sons 
of  Jacob,  with  their  families,  excepting  the  young 
children,  attended  it.  In  addition  to  this,  there  went 
up  all  the  officers  of  government,  (the  servants  of 
Pharaoh,  as  they  are  called,)  and  the  elders  of  his 
house,  and  the  elders  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  persons 
high  in  authority  and  rank.  "  There  went  up  with 
him  both  chariots  and  horsemen  :  and  it  was  a  very 
great  company." 

The  distance  which  this  numerous  and  solemn 
procession  had  to  go  was  some  hundreds  of  miles ; 
and  as  they  advanced  into  Canaan,  and  came  to  a 

L.  j.  15 


170  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

place  called  Atad,  they  expressed  their  sorrow,  as 
was  customary  at  that  time,  with  a  great  and  very 
core  lamentation.  And  they  continued  their  mourn- 
ing in  this  way  for  seven  days. 

The  Canaanites,  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  who  witnessed  this  striking  scene,  said,  this  is 
a  grievous  mourning  to  the  Egyptia7is ;  and  they 
afterward  called  the  place  Abel-mizraim,  which 
means,  the  place  of  the  Egyptians. 

From  this  place  the  procession  moved  on  till  it 
came  to  Hebron ;  and  there,  in  the  cave  of  Machpe- 
lah,  by  the  side  of  Abraham  and  Isaac,  of  Sarah, 
Rebekah,  and  Leah,  the  remains  of  Jacob  were  laid, 
(as  he  had  solemnly  enjoined  it  upon  them  to  do,) 
by  his  own  children. 

This  last  sad  office  of  respect  being  performed  to 
the  memory  of  their  deceased  parent,  Joseph  and  his 
brethren,  with  those  who  accompanied  them,  re- 
turned to  Egypt. 

Now  that  their  father  was  gone,  the  brethren  of 
Joseph  began  to  fear  that  he  would  no  longer  have 
any  inducement  to  treat  them  with  kindness.  They 
did  not  understand  his  true  character :  that  he  was 
a  man  who  feared  God,  and  had  a  benevolent  and 
forgiving  spirit.  They  supposed  that  he  still  remem- 
bered their  former  cruel  and  wicked  treatment  of 
him  with  feelings  of  indignation.  They  thought 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  171 

that  he  had  restrained  these  feelings,  and  kept 
them  concealed,  and  conducted  toward  them  as 
he  had  done,  merely  out  of  respect  to  their  father, 
and  because  he  did  not  wish  to  imbitter  his  de- 
clining days  with  the  sight  of  contention  among 
his  children. 

Now  this  restraint  upon  Joseph's  feelings  no 
longer  existed.  Their  protector  was  gone.  There 
was  no  one  to  interpose  between  them  and  their 
offended  brother,  and  they  trembled  at  the  expecta- 
tion of  his  vengeance. 

You  see  in  this,  rny  dear  children,  one  more 
striking  evidence  of  the  wretchedness  that  sin 
produces. 

Joseph's  brethren  had  still  a  distinct  and  vivid 
recollection  of  their  former  guilt.  How  often,  as 
they  saw  him  from  time  to  time,  had  the  scenes 
which  took  place  at  Dothan  risen  up  before  them, 
and  filled  them  with  self-reproach  and  alarm  ! 

They  saw  him  clad  in  the  splendid  robes  of  his 
office  ;  but  they  thought  only  of  his  beautiful  coat 
which  they  had  dipped  in  blood,  and  with  which 
they  had  practised  such  a  cruel  deception  on  their 
distressed  father. 

They  saw  him  seated  in  power  and  dignity,  or 
riding  in  his  splendid  chariot ;  but  their  imagina- 
tion drew  a  more  striking  picture  of  the  pit  in 


172  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

which  they  cast  him,  and  of  the  Ishmaelites,  to 
whom  they  sold  him  as  a  slave. 

So  it  is  that  past  sins  will  rise  up  before  the 
mind,  and  rouse  conscience  to  inflict  its  severest 
tortures  upon  the  guilty  breast. 

And  conscience  will  make  the  sinner  feel  how 
justly  he  deserves  to  be  punished. 

This  it  was  that  made  the  brethren  of  Joseph  so 
apprehensive  that  he  would  inflict  the  severest  pu- 
nishment upon  them.  They  knew  that  they  deserv- 
ed it,  and  that,  if  all  that  they  had  done  to  their  bro- 
ther were  known,  the  Egyptians,  and  every  one  else, 
would  think  that  they  ought  not  to  be  permitted  to 
escape  from  justice. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 


The  brethren  of  Joseph  implore  his  forgiveness. — He  is  very 
kind  to  them,  and  allays  all  their  fears. — Their  obligations 
of  gratitude  to  him,  and  to  God. — Has  the  reader  done 
wrong  to  others  7  How  does  he  feel  about  it  ? 

IN  order,  if  possible,  to  avert  the  anger  of  Joseph, 
his  brethren  resolved  to  make  a  strong  appeal  to  his 
feelings.  They  knew  the  great  love  which  he  had 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  173 

always  shown  toward  his  father,  and  the  affection- 
ate respect  with  which  he  cherished  his  memory. 

They  sent,  therefore,  a  messenger  to  Joseph  ;  fear- 
ing to  go  themselves,  lest  it  should  be  more  likely  to 
rouse  the  displeasure  of  their  brother  against  them. 
Perhaps,  too,  the  person  whom  they  requested  to  go 
in  their  behalf,  had  influence  with  Joseph,  on  ac- 
count of  the  worth  and  respectability  of  his  charac- 
ter, and  would  be  able  to  procure  the  entire  forgive- 
ness of  their  evil  conduct. 

But  they  relied  principally  on  the  nature  of  the 
message.  For  they  instructed  the  person  whom  they 
sent,  to  say  to  Joseph :  "  Thy  father  did  command,  be- 
fore he  died,  saying,  so  shall  ye  say  unto  Joseph, 
Forgive,  I  pray  thee  now,  the  trespass  of  thy  breth- 
ren, and  their  sin ;  for  they  did  unto  thee  evil. 

"  And  now,  we  pray  thee,  forgive  the  trespass  of 
the  servants  of  the  God  of  thy  father." 

It  was  an  appeal  to  the  tender  feelings  of  a  son ; 
of  a  son  who  had  ever  most  dutifully  obeyed  the 
commands,  and  complied  with  the  requests  of  a  father, 
to  whom  his  attachment  had  been  devoted  and 
constant ! 

It  was  an  appeal  to  the  piety  of  a  friend  of  God, 
of  the  God  of  his  ancestors,  of  the  God  of  his  father, 
of  the  God  in  whom  his  brethren  professed  to  trust, 
and  whose  servants  they  claimed  to  be. 
L    J.  "  15* 


174  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

As  children  of  the  same  father;  as  worshippers  of 
the  same  God ;  as  partakers  with  him  of  the  bless- 
ings of  the  promises  which  had  been  made  to  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob ;  they  besought  him  to  forgive 
them. 

Joseph  had  too  many  kind  and  generous  feelings ; 
he  was  too  much  above  what  was  mean  or  revenge- 
ful :  he  felt  too  strongly  his  obligations  to  God  for 
all  his  goodness  ;  he  cherished  too  deeply  the  spirit 
of  benevolence  toward  his  fellow-men  ;  and  he  was 
too  sensible  of  his  own  imperfections  and  sins,  to  re- 
sist this  appeal. 

It  awakened  all  the  better  emotions  of  his  heart. 
It  revived  the  most  grateful  recollections  of  his  fa- 
ther. It  enkindled  his  warmest  piety  toward  God. 
He  was  overcome  by  it,  and  melted  into  tears. 

It  is  probable  that  he  very  soon  sent  for  his 
brethren.  For  we  are  told  they  went  to  see  him, 
and  bowed  themselves  down,  as  they  had  formerly 
done,  in  his  presence. 

And  they  said,  Behold,  we  be  thy  servants. 

And  Joseph  said  unto  them,  Fear  not :  for  am  I 
in  the  place  of  God  ?  as  if  he  had  said,  "  I  am  but 
a  man  like  yourselves.  Why  do  you  thus  stand  in 
awe  of  me  and  my  displeasure  ?  It  is  God  who  is  the 
judge  of  your  conduct.  It  is  to  him  that  you  are  ac- 
countable for  what  you  have  done,  It  is  against  him 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  175 

chat  you  have  sinned.  Humble  yourselves  before 
his  presence.  With  deep  repentance  implore  his  for- 
giveness. So  far  as  I  am  concerned,  let  all  your  ap* 
prehensions  cease." 

"  Ye  thought  evil  against  me ;  but  God  meant  it 
unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day,  to  save 
much  people  alive.  Now,  therefore,  fear  ye  not :  I 
will  nourish  you  and  your  little  ones.  And  he  com- 
forted them,  and  spake  kindly  unto  them." 

What  a  relief  this  must  have  been  to  their  minds ! 
What  an  impression  it  must  have  made  on  their 
hearts,  if  they  had  any  such  feelings  as  they  ought 
to  have  had ! 

Under  such  affecting  circumstances,  how  they 
were  called  upon  to  exercise  gratitude  toward  their 
brother,  for  his  generous  and  kind  conduct ;  and  a 
still  livelier  gratitude  toward  God,  for  his  great  for- 
bearance and  long  suffering.  For  it  was  the  gra- 
cious course  of  his  providence  which  had  over-ruled 
their  wicked  designs,  and  brought  out  of  them  so 
much  good  to  Joseph,  the  object  of  their  hatred,  to 
their  father,  and  even  to  themselves  and  families. 

My  dear  children,  have  you  ever  been  placed  in 
similar  circumstances  ?  Have  you  ever  done  wrong 
toward  some  one ;  and  afterward  had  great  re- 
proach of  conscience  :  and  feared  lest  God  would,  in 
some  way  or  other,  punish  you  for  your  guilt  ? 


176  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

And  has  it  happened  that  you  have  been  obliged 
to  acknowledge  your  guilt;  and  that  the  person 
whom  you  offended  has  freely  forgiven  you ;  and 
that,  thus  far,  you  have  not  met  with  the  punish- 
ment which,  you  know,  your  evil  conduct  de- 
serves ? 

It  is.  very  probable  that  all  this  has  happened  to 
some  of  you  ;  and  how  have  you  felt  under  such  cir- 
cumstances ? 

Have  you  felt  humbled  before  God  for  the  sin  com- 
mitted against  him  ?  For,  in  doing  wrong  to  any  of 
your  fellow-men,  you  break  the  commands,  and  des- 
pise the  authority  of  God.  He  forbids  you  to  do 
wrong.  He  requires  of  you  always  to  do  right.  He 
enjoins  it  upon  you  to  love  your  neighbor  as  you  do 
yourself,  as  well  as  to  love  Him  with  your  whole 
soul,  and  strength,  and  mind. 

Have  you  felt  truly  sorry  for  the  wrong  done  to  the 
individual,  and  asked  his  forgiveness,  from  the  heart, 
intending  to  feel  and  conduct  toward  him  as  you 
ought  to  do  ? 

Have  you  felt  thankful  to  God  that  you  were  spar- 
ed the  punishment  which  you  so  justly  deserved ;  and 
to  the  individual,  for  having  assured  you  of  his  for- 
giveness and  future  friendship  ? 

Have  you  resolved,  that  with  the  grace  of  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  assisting  you,  you  will  do  no 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  177 

such  evil  thing  again,  and  that  you  will  strive 
against  all  sin  ? 

If  you  will  stop  a  little,  and  think  seriously,  and 
/ask  yourself  the  above  questions,  you  will  learn 
something  about  the  real  state  of  your  heart. 

You  will  be  in  the  way  of  finding  out  (while  you 
know  very  well  how  the  brethren  of  Joseph  ought 
to  have  felt)  whether  you  have  felt  as  you  ought  to 
have  done. 

Let  your  conscience  speak.  If  your  heart  con- 
demns you,  remember  that  "  God  is  greater  than 
your  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things." 

"  He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper :  but 
whoso  confessed!  and  forsaketh  them,  shall  hava 
mercy." 


178  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER     XXXIV. 

Joseph  near  to  death. — He  makes  his  brethren  swear  that  his 
body  shall  be  buried  in.  Canaan ;  whither,  he  assures  them, 
the  Israelites  shall  go. — He  dies,  and  his  body  is  embalm- 
ed.— Why  did  he  direct  his  body  to  be  kept  in  Egypt  till 
the  Israelites  should  go  to  Canaan  1— Wonderful  Prov'- 
denee  of  God. 

THE  brethren  of  Joseph  returned  to  their  families 
in  Goshen,  where  they  continued  to  reside.  They 
increased  greatly  in  numbers,  and  were  prosperous 
in  their  business,  under  the  protection  of  the  king  of 
Egypt,  and  the  fostering  care  of  their  kind  brother. 

Joseph,  in  the  meanwhile,  as  we  have  every  rea- 
son to  suppose,  continued  to  enjoy  the  favor  of  Pha- 
raoh, and  of  the  kings  who  succeeded  him,  and  to 
hold  his  office  as  governor  of  Egypt,  ruling  the 
people  mildly  and  justly,  and  esteemed  by  the  whole 
nation. 

He  lived  to  see  the  children  of  Ephraim  and  Ma- 
nasseh,  in  whose  education  he  took  a  lively  interest, 
and  whom  he  treated  with  great  affection. 

At  length  the  advances  of  age  reminded  him  that 
the  time  of  his  departure  was  not  far  distant.  His 
feebleness  increased.  He  gathered  his  brethren 
around  him,  and  told  them  that  he  was  about  to  die. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  179 

He  spoke  to  them  of  the  promises  of  God  to  their  fa- 
thers, to  themselves,  and  to  their  descendants. 

"  God  will  surely  visit  you,"  said  h?,  "  and  bring 
you  out  of  this  land  unto  the  land  which  he  sware 
to  Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob*" 

He  knew  how  important  it  was  foi  the  Israelites, 
thus  to  keep  their  return  to  Canaan  distinctly  in 
view,  as  the  great  object  of  their  hopes. 

For  otherwise  they  would  consider  Egypt  as  their 
permanent  home,  and  be  in  danger  of  mingling  with 
the  inhabitants,  of  falling  into  their  idolatrous  prac- 
tices, and  of  forgetting  the  worship  of  the  true  God. 

Joseph  took  an  oath,  also,  of  his  brethren,  (as  his 
father  Jacob  had  done  of  him,)  that  they  would  carry 
his  body  up  with  them,  whenever  they  should  return 
to  the  land  of  Canaan. 

We  are  not  told  what  other  directions  or  counsel 
he  gave  them  in  his  last  moments.  He  soon  could 
speak  no  longer ;  and  he  died  in  the  one  hundred 
and  tenth  year  of  his  age. 

His  body  was  embalmed,  and  kept  in  a  coffin  in 
Egypt  until  the  Israelites  left  that  country.  It  was 
then  carried  with  them  into  Canaan,  and  buried  in. 
Shechem,  in  the  parcel  of  ground  which  Jacob  bought 
of  the  sons  of  Hamor ;  and  which  he  gave  as  an 
inheritance  to  the  children  of  Joseph. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  Joseph  had  a  particular 


180  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

design  in  thus  directing  that  his  body  should  be 
kept  in  Egypt,  until  the  return  of  the  Israelites  to 
the  land  of  their  fathers.  His  remains  would  be 
held  by  them  in  great  reverence.  The  place  in 
which  they  were  deposited  would  often  be  visited 
by  them,  and  by  their  children,  and  their  children's 
children.  For  it  was  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  after  the  death  of  Joseph,  before  the  descend- 
ants of  Jacob  were  led  out  of  Egypt  by  Moses,  and 
went  to  Canaan. 

The  spot  would  be  dear  to  them ;  a  sacred  spot ; 
one  that  would  keep  alive  their  grateful  recollec- 
tions, both  of  Joseph  and  of  his  venerable  father. 
It  would  constantly  remind  them  of  their  being  but 
strangers  in  Egypt ;  of  the  promises  of  God  to 
give  them  a  better  country ;  and  of  their  solemn 
duty  (as  soon  as  Providence  should  open  the  way) 
to  carry  back  with  them  the  body  of  Joseph.  They 
would  recollect,  too,  the  affecting  circumstances  un- 
der which  Joseph  had  enjoined  the  performance  of 
this  duty  upon  his  brethren.  It  was  in  his  dying 
moments  ;  and  they  had  bound  themselves,  in  the 
presence  of  the  Almighty,  and  under  the  solemni- 
ties of  an  oath,  to  see  that  his  directions  were  faith- 
fully obeyed. 

Though  dead,  he  would  yet  speak  to  them ;  and 
from  year  to  year  the  monitory  voice  would  be 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  181 

heard :  God  will  surely  visit  you,  and  bring  you 
out  of  this  land  unto  the  land  which  he  sware  to 
Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob.  God  will  surely 
visit  you,  and  ye  shall  carry  up  my  bones  from  hence. 

How  wonderful  are  the  Avays  in  which  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  brings  about  his  wise  and  holy  pur- 
poses !  He  employed  Joseph,  during  his  life,  to  de- 
liver from  famine  that  peculiar  people,  who  were  to 
preserve  the  knowledge  and  the  worship  of  the  true 
God ;  and  fiom  whom,  in  after  ages,  was  to  come 
forth  a  mightier  deliverer,  Jesus,  the  Savior  of  the 
world. 

He  employed  Joseph,  at  his  death,  as  one  of  the 
means  of  strengthening  the  faith  of  the  Israelites  in 
the  promise  made  to  their  fathers  ;  arid  of  keeping 
alive  among  them  the  desire  of  returning  to  that 
land  where  they  were  still  to  be  a  peculiar  people; 
to  that  land  where  Christ  was  to  be  born,  and 
suffer,  and  die ;  to  that  land  from  which  the  glad 
news  of  salvation  was  to  be  proclaimed  to  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth. 

The  singular  dreams  which  Joseph  had  when  he 
was  quite  a  youth,  and  which  were  produced  by  the 
influence  of  God  upon  his  mind,  prepared  him  in 
some  measure  for  the  wonderful  dealings  of  Provi- 
dence with  him.  He  felt  that  he  was  to  have  an  im- 
portant part  to  act,  though  he  could  not  tell  what  it 

L.  j.  16 


182  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

would  be.  This  served,  no  doubt,  to  elevate  his 
views,  and  to  fit  him  for  the  high  station  in  which 
he  was  to  be  placed. 

The  fulfillment  of  his  dreams,  too,  must  have  ad- 
ded great  strength  to  his  faith  in  God.  At  onetime, 
he  saw  his  brethren  bowing  down  before  him  in 
acknowledgment  of  his  superiority  and  of  their 
dependence.  At  another,  he  received  such  gifts 
from  his  father  as  showed  that  Jacob  and  his  family 
intended  to  treat  him  with  the  respect  due  to  his 
high  rank  and  power.  In  presenting  these  gifts,  his 
brethren  again  bowed  down  before  him  ;  and  in  re- 
ply to  his  inquiry  concerning  their  father,  they 
spoke  of  Jacob  as  the  servant  of  Joseph,  and  bowed 
down  before  him,  as  if  by  this  name  and  act  of 
obeisance  to  show  the  reverence  which  the  whole, 
family  had  for  the  governor  of  Egypt. 

At  length  he  saw  his  father,  and  his  brethren, 
and  their  families,  settled  in  the  kingdom  over 
which  he  was  exercising  the  authority  of  a  ruler. 
They  were,  in  fact,  the  subjects  of  his  government ; 
nourished  by  his  bounty,  and  protected  by  his 
power. 

The  sheaves  of  his  brethren  had,  indeed,  bowed 
down  before  his  sheaf;  and  the  sun,  moon,  and 
eleven  stars  had  made  obeisance  to  him. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  183 


CHAPTER     XXXV. 

The  character  of  Joseph. — His  strong  faith  in  God. — This 
the  foundation  of  all  real  excellence  of  character. — Has 
the  reader  this  faith  in  God  1 

GOD,  as  we  have  seen,  had  a  great  work  for 
Joseph  to  do  ;  and  when  it  was  accomplished,  he 
took  this  faithful  servant  to  himself. 

He  is  now,  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord  ;  and  while  his  bones  are  reposing  in  the 
land  that  was  promised  to  his  fathers,  his  spirit  is 
enjoying  the  bliss  and  the  glory  of  that  better  land 
of  promise,  the  Canaan  of  eternal  rest. 

It  is  to  that  heavenly  inheritance,  my  dear  chil- 
dren, that  it  has  been  my  great  object  to  direct  your 
attention  and  excite  your  hopes,  while  I  have  been 
writing  this  history  of  Joseph.  And  before  I  con- 
clude, I  would  lead  you,  under  the  blessing  of  God, 
to  think  yet  more  of  the  necessity  of  being  prepar- 
'ed,  when  your  work  on  earth  is  done,  to  enter  into 
the  rest  of  heaven,  and  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord. 

The  remains  of  Joseph,  while  in  Egypt,  kindled 
up  the  desires  of  his  kindred  to  go  to  the  land  of 
their  fathers. 

May  the  memory  of  his  character,  embalmed  in 


184  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

your  hearts,  awaken  within  you  a  still  stronger  de- 
sire to  go  where  he  now  is — to  that  heavenly  country, 
of  which  Canaan  was  but  a  very  faint  and  imperfect 
resemblance. 

Let  us  for  a  little  while  attend  to  some  of  the 
more  striking  traits  of  his  character.  And  as  we  go 
along,  consider  how  worthy  they  are  of  your  imita- 
tion, and  whether  you  do  in  any  degree  possess 
them. 

Joseph  had  a  strong  faith  in  God.  He  did  not  see 
God  with  his  bodily  eyes,  but  he  believed  in  his  ex- 
istence, and  that  he  was  a  Being  of  infinite  power, 
wisdom,  justice,  goodness,  and  truth. 

He  believed  that  God  had  made  communications, 
at  various  times, to  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob; 
and  that  what  his  father  taught  him  of  these  com- 
munications was  true.  He  believed  that  the  promises 
which  God  had  made  to  his  ancestors,  and  to  him- 
self, and  their  descendants,  would  all  be  exactly  ful- 
filled. 

He  believed  that  he  wras  accountable  to  God  for 
all  his  thoughts,  and  feelings,  and  conduct ;  and  that, 
in  the  future  world,  God  will  receive  to  heaven 
those  only  who  love  and  obey  him,  and  banish,  for 
ever,  the  wicked  from  his  presence. 

It  is  not  impossible  that  he  had  some  knowledge 
of  Christ,  and  looked  forward  to  this  coming  Savior, 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  185 

as  his  Savior  and  hope.  For  Abraham  saw  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  glad;  and  it  cannot  be 
doubted  that  he  communicated  this  knowledge  to 
his  children,  and  they  to  theirs ;  and  that  thus  Jacob 
and  his  family  were  in  possession  of  it. 

In  the  eleventh  chapter  of  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  you  will  find  that  Joseph  is  numbered 
among  those  who  were  distinguished  for  their  faith 
in  God,  and  in  his  promises. 

'%  By  faith"  it  is  said,  "  Joseph,  when  he  died, 
made  mention  of  the  departing  of  the  children  of 
Israel ;  and  gave  commandment  concerning  his 
bones." 

He  did  ihis  only  because  he  had  an  unshaken 
confidence  in  the  promise  of  God,  that  the  Israelites 
should  return  to  Canaan,  and  enjoy  that  delightful 
country  as  their  own. 

But  if  he  had  such  a  confidence  in  that  promise 
of  God  to  the  Israelites,  as  to  feel  sure  of  its  fulfill- 
ment, and  to  act  accordingly ;  he  had  the  same  con- 
fidence in  all  the  promises  and  declarations  of  God, 
and  acted  as  if  he  believed  that  they  also  would 
receive  their  complete  fulfillment. 

This  living  and  active  faith  was  the  foundation 
of  all  that  was  excellent  in  his  character,  of  all  his 
thoughts,  and  feelings,  and  conduct,  which  were 
right,  and  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God. 

t,  j.  16* 


186  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Just  as  the  strong  and  heavy  stones,  which  are 
laid  deep  in  the  ground,  and  put  firmly  together, 
and  on  which  the  whole  house  is  built  and  rests, — 
form  the  foundation  of  the  house. 

The  builders  know  this  very  well,  and  that,  if 
they  design  to  have  the  house  stand,  they  must  lay 
a  strong  and  solid  foundation. 

Faith  in  God  is  the  foundation  of  all  real  excel- 
lence of  character.  Without  it,  there  may  be  an  ap- 
pearance of  goodness,  an  outward  propriety  of  con- 
duct, but  no  right  feelings  in  the  heart. 

Unless  a  child  believes  that  his  father  is  a  good 
and  just  parent,  that  he  governs  his  family  well,  and 
wishes  to  do  all  to  make  them  good  and  happy,  and 
that  his  commands  are  right ;  unless  he  believes 
that  the  threatenings  of  this  parent  will  be  executed, 
and  his  promises  fulfilled;  unless  he  thus  has  faith 
in  the  parent,  he  will  have  no  true  love  and  obedi- 
ence to  him.  He  may  do  things  outwardly  that  look 
like  love  and  obedience,  but  there  will  be  no  corres- 
ponding feelings  in  his  heart.  He  will  have  no  right 
to  the  character  of  a  dutiful  and  affectionate  child. 

In  'the  same  way,  unless,  like  Joseph,  you  have  a 
strong  and  active  faith  in  God,  your  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther, you  can  have  no  true  love  and  obedience  to 
him ;  you  can  have  no  right  thoughts,  and  feelings, 
and  conduct ;  you  can  have  no  true  excellence  of 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH,  187 

character ;  you  cannot  be  prepared  to  go  to  heaven 
when  you  die. 

Have  you  this  faith  in  God  ?  Do  you  believe  all 
that  he  has  taught  you  in  the  Bible,  all  his  com- 
mands, and  promises,  and  threatenings  ? 

If  Joseph  had  believed  only  the  one  promise  of 
God,  that  the  Israelites  should  return  to  Canaan, 
this  would  have  been  wholly  insufficient  to  lead  him 
to  do  as  we  have  seen  that  he  did,  and  to  become  a 
truly  good  man,  and  to  be  prepared  to  go  to  the 
heavenly  Canaan. 

If  you  believe  all  that  God  has  taught  you  in  the 
Bible,  then  you  believe  that  unless  you  truly  repent 
of  your  sins,  and  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
and  show  your  faith  to  be  sincere,  by  obeying  the 
commands  of  God,  you  cannot  be  saved. 

Do  you  indeed  believe  these  truths  ;  do  you 
feel  them;  do  you  practise  them  ? 


188  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 


Joseph's  affection  and  dutifulness  to  his  father. — These 
traits  of  character,  if  real  and  permanent,  must  grow  out 
of  faith  in  God. — How  does  the  reader  treat  his  parents  1 
— Joseph  was  kind  and  affectionate  to  his  brethren. — 
Faith  in  God  and  Christ  produces  love  to  others. — Has 
the  reader  this  love  7 

ONE  consequence  of  Joseph's  faith  in  God,  was 
his  striking  affection  and  dutifulness  to  his  verier  a- 
ble  parent ;  and  this  was  another  conspicuous  trait 
in  his  character. 

I  know  that  some  children,  who  have  a  pleasant 
and  amiahle  disposition,  and  yet  have  no  such  faith 
in  God  as  Joseph  had,  show  a  good  deal  of  affection 
and  dutifulness  toward  their  parents. 

But  do  they  do  this  at  all  times  ?  Do  they  do  it 
where  the  parents  are  the  friends  of  God,  as  Jacob 
was,  and  instruct  their  children  what  his  commands 
are,  and  require  them  to  obey  these  commands  ? 

Ah !  this  makes  a  great  difference.  There  are 
parents  who  have  no  faith  in  God  themselves,  and 
no  trust  in  Christ;  and  who  live  and  act  as  if  there 
were  no  heaven  and  no  hell;  and  who  consider  this 
world  as  their  home ;  and  bring  up  their  children  to 


HISTORY    OF 

feel  and  to  act  as  they  do.  Now  it  is  not  strange 
that  such  children  should  love  such  parents,  and 
sometimes  be  very  affectionate  and  dutiful  to  them  ; 
though  this  is  very  far  from  always  being  the  case. 

But  let  parents  be  like  Jacob.  Let  them  fear  and 
obey  God,  and  strive  to  bring  up  their  children  in 
his  fear ;  and  then  it  will  often  happen  that  these 
children  will  have  no  true  and  lasting  affection  and 
dutiful  ness  to  such  parents,  unless  they  have  also, 
as  Joseph  had,  a  strong  and  active  faith  in  God. 

It  is  the  duty  of  children  to  love  and  obey  their 
parents  as  well  in  their  absence  as  when  they  are 
present ;  as  well  in  little  things  as  in  great ;  as 
well,  when  to  obey  may  be  attended  with  inconveni- 
ence, or  self-denial,  or  even  suffering,  as  when  it  is 
pleasant  and  agreeable;  as  well,  with  regard  to 
what  relates  to  God  and  the  Savior,  to  the  soul,  and 
to  the  future  world,  as  with  regard  to  the  things  of 
this  life. 

Children,  too,  must  hold  out  in  their  affection  and 
dutifulness  to  their  parents.  These  must  be  perma- 
nent traits  of  character.  They  must  last  through 
life.  They  must  lead  the  child  at  all  times,  and  under 
all  circumstances ;  in  adversity  as  well  as  in  pros- 
perity, in  sickness  as  well  as  in  health,  and  especial- 
ly amid  the  infirmities  and  feebleness  of  declining 


190  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

years,  to  do  all  he  possibly  can  to  make  his  parents 
comfortable  and  happy. 

Now,  if  these  parents  have  any  true  love  to  God, 
how  anxious  they  must  feel  to  see  their  children 
also  the  friends  of  God  and  of  the  Redeemer  ! 
How  unhappy  they  must  feel  to  see  them  living  in 
impenitence  and  sin  ! 

Children,  then,  to  make  pious  parents  happy, 
must  be  pious  themselves.  And  how  often  it  is  the 
case,  that  parents  who  have  no  love  to  God  them- 
selves, and  no  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  still  would  be 
glad  to  see  their  children  among  the  number  of  his 
followers.  For  their  conscience  tells  them  that  this 
is  the  only  true  good. 

Compare  what  I  have  been  saying  with  your 
own  feelings  and  conduct,  and  tell  me  if  it  is  not 
all  true.  Yes,  it  is  true.  And  you  cannot  be  a  truly 
affectionate  and  dutiful  child,  so  as  to  have  that  love 
to  your  parents,  and  perform  those  duties  toward 
them  which  God  requires,  unless  you  have  faith  in 
God,  such  faith  as  Joseph  had,  and  which  I  have 
described. 

If  you  love  and  obey  your  parents,  in  any  good 
degree,  as  you  ought,  it  is  because  you  have  faith 
in  God  and  in  Christ ;  and  your  constant  prayer 
should  be,  that  your  faith  may  be  increased ;  that  it 
may  be,  like  Joseph's,  a  vigorous  and  active  faith ; 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  191 

and  that  it  •  may  lead  you  to  be  still  more  affection- 
ate, and  still  more  dutiful,  to  those  who  have  done  so 
much  for  you. 

And  if  any  of  you,  my  dear  children,  are  disobe- 
dient and  undutiful  to  your  parents,  which  there  is 
reason  to  fear  may  be  the  case,  think  of  the  great 
sinfulness  of  such  conduct.  It  is  not  only  base  and 
ungrateful  in  the  sight  of  men.  but  it  is  peculiarly 
hateful  in  the  sight  of  God.  It  is  a  direct  violation 
of  one  of  his  commandments.  It  will,  if  persisted 
in,  and  not  repented  of,  draw  down  upon  you  the 
most  terrible  expressions  of  his  displeasure. 

It  shows  that  you  have  no  true  faith  in  God,  no 
love  toward  him,  no  desire  to  do  his  will. 

Can  you  dare  to  remain  any  longer  in  this 
state  ? 

Joseph's  faith  in  God  produced  another  striking 
trait  in  his  character — kind  and  affectionate  feelings 
toward  his  brethren,  and  a  desire  to  do  those  good 
who  had  done  him  much  evil. 

Nothing  but  that  faith  in  God  and  the  Redeemer 
which  leads  us  to  believe  all  that  the  Bible  teaches 
us  concerning  the  character  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
and  to  love  them,  and  to  desire  to  be  like  them ; 
nothing  but  such  a  faith  can  produce  in  the  heart 
any  true  love  to  our  fellow-men.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  we  truly  love  our  fellow-men,  and  desire  to 


192  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

promote  their  best  good,  both  in  this  world  and  the 
next,  it  is  one  of  the  best  evidences  we  can  have 
that  we  truly  love  God. 

Are  you  like  Joseph  in  this  respect  ?  Do  you 
feel  and  conduct  toward  your  brothers  and  sisters 
as  he  did  toward  his  brethren  1  Do  you  try  to  do 
them  all  the  good  in  your  power  ?  Do  you  try  to  do 
their  souls  good  ?  Do  you  kindly  advise  them,  if 
you  see  them  doing  wrong?  Do  you  set  them  a 
good  example  in  your  own  conversation  and  con- 
duct ?  Do  you  pray  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  do 
this  ?  Do  you  pray  for  them,  that  God  would  give 
them  his  Holy  Spirit  and  make  them  the  followers 
of  Christ  ?  Are  you  patient  and  meek  if  they  say  or 
do  any  thing  to  irritate  or  injure  you  ?  Do  you  feel 
no  resentment  or  revenge  toward  them  ?  Do  you 
forgive  them,  and  return  good  for  their  evil?  Do 
you  pray  to  God  to  forgive  them,  and  to  lead  them 
to  better  feelings  and  conduct  ? 

Without  such  feelings  and  conduct  toward  your 
brothers  and  sisters,  you  show  that  you  have  no 
true  love  to  your  fellow-men,  and  that  you  have  no 
true  love  to  God. 

You  show  that  you  are  quite  unlike  Joseph ;  that 
you  are  quite  unlike  the  pure  and  holy  beings  with 
whom  he  is  now  so  happy  in  loving  and  serving 
God ;  and  that,  continuing  as  you  are,  you  are 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  193 

wholly  unfit  to  go  to  that  world  where  all  is  love, 
and  peace,  and  joy. 

Into  that  Avorld  none  can  be  admitted  whose  sins 
are  not  forgiven  through  the  blood  of  Christ.  And 
he  himself  has  declared,  that  if  you  forgive  not 
others,  you  can  have  no  hope  of  forgiveness  from 
God. 

"  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  bro- 
ther, he  is  a  liar ;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  bro- 
ther whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God 
whom  he  hath  not  seen  ? 

"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  and  mind, — and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself." 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

Joseph's  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. — Instances 
of  it.— It  grew  out  of  his  faith  in  God.— Has  the  reader 
the  same  fidelity,  growing  out  of  the  same  faith  7 

JOSEPH  had  a  vigorous  and  active  faith  in  God. 
He  believed  that  the  eye  of  God  was  upon  him  at 
all  times  ;  and  this  led  him  to  great  fidelity  in  the 

L.  j.  17 


194  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

discharge  of  his  duties  toward  those  who  employed 
him. 

This  trait  of  his  character  shone  forth  in  all  the 
situations  in  which  he  was  placed. 

He  felt  it  to  be  a  duty  that  he  owed  to  his  father, 
to  tell  him  of  the  wicked  conduct  of  some  of  his 
brethren,  and  he  did  not  fear  to  discharge  his  duty. 

He  faithfully  obeyed  his  father  in  going  first  to 
Shechem,  and  afterward  to  Dothan,  to  see  his  breth- 
ren, notwithstanding  he  must  certainly  have  had 
some  reason  to  fear  their  resentment. 

He  was  so  faithful  while  a  servant,  or  rather 
slave,  in  the  house  of  Potiphar,  that  he  was  intrust- 
ed by  the  latter  with  the  charge  of  all  his  domestic 
concerns. 

While  a  prisoner,  his  conduct  in  small  things  was 
such — his  faithfulness  in  complying  with  all  the  re- 
gulations and  commands  of  the  keeper — that  he  was 
intrusted  with  the  care  of  the  other  prisoners,  and 
with  the  management  of  the  whole  prison.  And 
doubtless,  in  this  difficult  and  responsible  situation, 
he  showed  equal  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties. 

All  this  was  strengthening  his  habits,  and  forming 
his  character,  and  preparing  him  to  be  able  to  dis- 
charge still  more  arduous  duties  with  still  greater 
fidelity  and  success. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  195 

No  doubt  Pharaoh  had  heard  of  his  conduct  while 
with.  Potiphar,  and  in  the  prison,  and  he  knew  that 
such  a  man  could  be  trusted. 

He  elevated  Joseph  near  to  the  throne,  and  made 
him  governor  of  Egypt. 

In  that  arduous  and  laborious  station,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  trying  circumstances,  you  have 
seen  with  what  fidelity  he  performed  his  duty.  How 
exactly  he  carried  into  effect  all  the  wishes  of  the 
king  for  the  relief  of  the  Egyptians,  and  how  faith- 
fully he  fulfilled  all  his  own  promises  to  his  father 
and  to  his  brethren. 

He  looked  to  God,  indeed,  for  his  Holy  Spirit,  that 
he  might  be  thus  faithful.  He  knew  that  every  good 
thought,  and  feeling,  and  purpose,  must  come  from 
above.  Under  all  circumstances,  he  felt  the  need  of 
divine  wisdom,  grace,  and  strength.  He  prayed  for 
them.  And  he  was  a  man  of  prayer,  because  he  was 
a  man  of  faith.  See  what  it  is  to  be  a  truly  good 
man.  Such  an  one  is  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  all 
his  duties  to  his  fellow-men,  as  well  as  those  which 
he  owes  more  directly  to  God. 

He  is  faithful  in  small  things  as  well  as  in  great. 
He  is  faithful  when  removed  from  the  sight  of  his 
fellow-men,  as  well  as  when  in  their  presence.  He 
is  faithful  as  well  in  adversity  as  in  prosperity  ;  as 
well  when  he  meets  with  injustice  and  oppression, 


196  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

as  when  he  receives  approbation  and  his  due  re- 
ward. 

Such  was  the  faithfulness  of  Joseph.  Is  such  your 
faithfulness  to  your  parents,  to  your  instructors,  to 
your  employers,  to  all  to  whom  you  have  made  any 
promises,  or  toward  whom  you  have  any  duties  to 
perform. 

Without  such  faithfulness,  in  small  things,  too,  as 
well  as  great,  your  character  will  be  exceedingly 
defective,  even  in  the  opinion  of  your  fellow-men. 

You  will  fail  of  securing  their  confidence.  They 
will  not  trust  you  with  any  business  of  importance. 
You  will  find  it  very  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
succeed  in  what  you  undertake. 

But  what  is  worse,  your  conscience  will  condemn 
you.  You  will  feel  that  you  have  done  wrong  to 
others,  that  you  have  not  done  to  them  as  you  would 
have  them  do  to  you,  and  that  you  are  unworthy  of 
their  confidence  and  esteem. 

You  will  lose,  too,  the  favor  of  God.  He  sees 
all  who  are  unfaithful,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places. 
You  cannot  escape  his  notice.  You  will  have  to 
render  to  him  a  strict  account  for  all  your  want  of 
fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  which  you  owe 
to  your  fellow-men. 

Pray ;  strive  that  you  may  be  kept  from  such  guilt 
and  folly.  Pray  for  faith  in  God,  for  a  deep  and 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  197 

constant  feeling  that  his  eye  is  always  upon  you,  and 
for  a  willingness  and  courage  to  be  faithful  in  the 
discharge  of  your  duties,  and  the  fulfillment  of  your 
promises  to  your  fellow-men ;  because  it  is  his  will 
that  you  should  thus  show  your  love  to  kirn,  and  obedi- 
ence to  his  commands. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

Joseph's  resolution  in  resisting  temptation. — It  grew  out  of 
his  faith  in  God. — The  reader  has  his  temptations. — How 
to  get  strength  to  overcome  them. — Joseph's  dependence 
on  God,  and  submission  to  his  will. — These  grew  out  of 
his  faith  in  God. — Has  the  reader  this  dependence  and 
submission  1 

WE  have  seen  in  one  event  of  Joseph's  life,  how 
his  faith  in  God  enabled  him  to  resist  and  overcome 
a  temptation  to  very  great  wickedness.  From  his 
conduct  at  that  time,  we  have  reason  to  conclude 
that  the  strength  of  his  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
God,  and  his  fear  of  sinning  against  him,  when  ex- 
posed to  powerful  temptation,  was  another  striking 
trait  in  his  character. 

That  he  was  often  exposed  to  such  temptations, 

there  can  be  no  doubt.  Living  in  the  midst  of  an 
L.  j.  17* 


198  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

idolatrous  and  wicked  people,  and,  during  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  his  life,  with  kings,  and  those  who  were 
abundant  in  wealth  and  high  in  rank,  he  must  have 
had  many  inducements  of  pleasure,  and  allurements 
of  sin,  to  draw  him  aside  from  the  love  and  service 
of  God. 

His  whole  character,  as  it  appears  in  the  history 
to  which  we  have  been  attending,  and  especially  in 
the  latter  part  of  it,  shows  that  he  must  have  resisted 
many  temptations,  and  manifested  his  devotedness  of 
heart  and  life  to  the  God  of  his  fathers. 

Temptations  are  not  confined  to  the  rich  and  pow- 
erful. No  station  or  age  is  free  from  them. 

You  have  your  peculiar  temptations.  Some  com- 
panion invites  you  to  go  to  places,  or  to  do  things, 
which  you  know  to  be  wrong,  and  often  highly  of- 
fensive to  God.  Or,  some  alluring  object  is  present- 
ed to  you,  in  pursuing  and  attaining  which  you 
are  sensible  that  you  will  be  led  to  forget  God,  and 
your  duty  toward  him. 

Now,  under  such  circumstances,  what  has  been 
your  conduct  ?  Have  you  yielded  to  such  tempta- 
tions, or  have  you,  like  Joseph,  resisted  and  over- 
come them  ? 

The  oftener  you  yield,  the  less  and  the  less  will  be 
your  power  of  resistance. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  199 

The  oftener  you  overcome,  the  easier  will  be  each 
future  struggle  and  victory. 

But  to  resist  and  to  overcome  temptation,  you 
must  have,  as  Joseph  had,  a  vigorous  and  active 
faith  in  God.  You  must  feel  that  he  is  near  you, 
noticing  all  that  you  say  and  do,  and  looking  into 
your  inmost  thoughts.  You  must  feel,  that  it  is 
great  guilt  and  folly  to  offend  so  good  and  just  a 
Being,  that  his  displeasure  is  to  be  dreaded  as  the 
worst  of  evils,  and  the  preservation  of  his  favor  as 
the  only  true  happiness. 

How  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness  and  sin 
against  God  !  was  the  pious  exclamation  of  Joseph, 
when  exposed  to  temptation. 

Let  it  be  yours,  when  you  are  tempted.  It  is  your 
only  safety.  Without  it,  and  without  that  faith  in 
God  from  which  it  proceeds,  you  are  in  the  midst 
of  dangers,  in  this  wicked  and  ensnaring  world, 
which  you  may  little  suspect  or  fear,  but  which  may 
prove  your  ruin,  both  in  this  life  and  that  which  is 
to  come. 

Go  to  Christ.  Trust  in  him.  Pray,  in  his  name, 
for  strength  from  above  to  resist  temptation,  and  it 
shall  be  given  you;  and  you  shall  triumph  over  the 
enemies  of  your  souK 

Neglect  to  do  this,  and  you  will  yield  to  on  3 
temptation  after  another,  till  you  become  tkt  'lave 


200  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH, 

of  sin,  with  no  hope  of  escape  from  its  dreadful 
bondage. 

Another  trait  in  the  character  of  Joseph,  and  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  one  which  we  have  been 
considering,  was  his  feeling  of  dependence  on  God, 
and  submission  to  his  will. 

This  too,  like  all  his  other  good  traits  of  charac- 
ter, grew  out  of  his  faith  in  God.  This  faith  led  him 
to  have  a  deep  and  abiding  conviction  of  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  extending  to  all  events,  the  most  mi- 
nute as  well  as  the  greatest. 

He  felt  that  he  was  continually  under  the  care 
and  direction  of  this  providence  of  God,  and  that, 
without  it  guiding  and  sustaining  him,  he  could  of 
himself  do  nothing. 

This  feeling  of  dependence  on  God  produced,  in 
the  mind  of  Joseph,  submission  to  the  will  of  God. 

He  felt  that  God  had  a  right  to  do  with  him  as 
he  deemed  best ;  and  we  find  that,  in  the  most  try- 
ing and  distressing  circumstances,  Joseph  had  a  pa- 
tient and  uncomplaining  spirit. 

Have  you  this  feeling  of  dependence  on  God,  and 
submission  to  his  will  1 

Ah !  how  prone  you  are  to  rely  on  your  own 
strength,  and  to  feel  as  if  every  thing  must  yield  to 
your  will ! 

"  You  can  do  this,  and  you  can  do  that,"  you  say — 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  201 

•*  you  know  you  can.  You  are  not  afraid  of  falling 
.nto  such  and  such  disgraceful  and  wicked  conduct." 

And  then,  how  often  your  will  has  resisted  the 
will  of  your  parents,  and  of  others  whom  God  has 
commanded  you  to  obey  ;  while  in  this,  and  in  vari- 
ous other  ways,  you  have  resisted  the  will  of  God 
himself. 

How  many  times,  too,  you  have  shown  a  fretful, 
murmuring  and  complaining  spirit ;  discontented 
with  what  your  parents  and  friends  thought  best  for 
you,  and  dissatisfied  with  the  dealings  of  God's  pro- 
vidence toward  you. 

Has  it  not  been  so  in  too  many  instances  ?  And 
does  it  not  all  show  how  much  you  need  to  humble 
yourself  before  God ;  to  repent  of  these  and  all  your 
other  sins  ;  to  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  for- 
giveness, and  acceptance  with  God;  and  to  pray 
earnestly  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  be  led  to 
feel  your  dependence  on  God,  and  to  have  an  entire 
submission  to  his  will. 


202  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

Joseph's  humility.— Proofs  of  it.— Humility  in  good  men 
grows  out  of  their  faith  in  God. — Has  the  reader  this  hu- 
mility 1 — Without  it  we  can  have  no  interest  in  Christ. 

Humility  I  think  deserves  to  be  noticed  as  a  trait 
in  the  character  of  Joseph.  It  is  not  so  striking,  per- 
haps, as  some  others,  and  yet  it  would  seem  that  he 
possessed  it  in  no  inconsiderable  degree. 

If  he  had  been  a  proud  person,  and  inclined  to 
think  highly  of  himself,  there  was  much  in  his  ele- 
vation to  the  entire  charge  of  Potiphar's  domestic 
concerns  to  awaken  such  feelings  within  his  breast. 

And  if  he  had  been  thus  puffed  up  by  his  eleva- 
tion, is  it  at  all  probable  that  he  would  have  had 
such  faith  in  God,  such  a  fear  of  sinning  against 
him,  and  such  strength  to  overcome  a  powerful  temp- 
tation ? 

"  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  givcth  grace  to 
the  humble"  Would  Joseph  have  had  this  grace 
given  to  him,  if  he  had  not  been  humble  ? 

There  was  much  in  the  circumstances  attending 
his  being  brought  before  Pharaoh  to  excite  his 
pride,  if  he  had  not  been,  on  the  whole,  and  habitu- 
ally, a  person  of  humility. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  203 

The  wise  men  of  Egypt,  many  in  number,  and 
greatly  respected  both  by  the  king  and  people,  in 
vain  attempted  to  interpret  his  dreams.  Joseph,  a 
young  man,  was  sent  for,  and  requested  to  do  what 
all  these  wise  men  had  confessed  was  far  beyond 
their  skill. 

Pharaoh  addressed  him,  as  if  he  thought  Joseph 
himself  had  the  power  of  making  the  interpretation. 

What  a  strong  temptation  to  conceal  the  truth, 
and  to  excite  toward  himself  the  admiration  and  re- 
spect of  the  Egyptian  monarch,  and  his  whole  cir- 
cle of  wise  men,  and  officers,  and  men  of  high  rank 
around  him !  But  Joseph's  faith  in  God  was  vigo- 
rous and  active  at  the  time.  He  knew  that  all  his 
skill  to  interpret  dreams  came  from  above;  and 
with  a  becoming  modesty,  and  true  humility  of  cha- 
racter, he  said,  "It  is  not  in  me  :  God  shall  give 
Pharaoh  an  answer  of  peace.'1 

In  his  subsequent  very  high  exaltation  to  be  go- 
vernor of  Egypt,  and  in  all  his  deportment  toward 
his  brethren  and  father,  and  treatment  of  them,  there 
is  nothing  that  looks  like  boasting  or  pride.  On  the 
contrary,  his  kind  and  forgiving  spirit ;  the  great  af- 
fection and  respect  which  he  manifested  toward  his 
aged  parent ;  his  always  referring  his  elevation  to 
the  providence  of  God ;  and  the  memorable  words 
with  which  he  endeavored  to  allay  the  fears  of  his 


204  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

brethren,  when  they  dreaded  his  just  resentment, 
"Fear  not;  for  am  I  in  the  place  of  God?"  all 
these  things  tend  to  show  that  he  must  have  had 
true  humility  of  character. 

And  such  is  the  character  of  all  good  men,  what- 
ever their  possessions,  or  learning,  or  rank,  or  repu- 
tation may  be. 

They  are  sensible — as  I  have  no  doubt  Joseph 
was — how  very  little  they  know,  although  others 
may  esteem  them  wise ;  and  how  imperfect  and  sin- 
ful they  have  been,  and  continue  to  be,  although 
others  may  regard  them  with  approbation  and  es- 
teem. 

Their  faith  in  God  leads  them  to  look  up  to  him 
as  a  Being  of  spotless  purity  and  perfect  holiness  of 
character,  and  to  feel  very  humble  in  his  presence. 
And  when  they  look  round  on  their  fellow-men, 
should  they  see  any  not  loving  and  serving  God  as 
they  hope  they  do,  or  their  inferiors  in  any  respect, 
they  ask  themselves,  who  maketh  me  to  differ  ? 

They  know  that  they  are  naturally  no  better  than 
others;  that  if  there  is  a  difference,  the  grace  of 
God  has  made  it ;  and  that,  in  their  intercourse  with 
their  fellow-men,  they  should  cultivate  a  meek  and 
quiet  spirit ;  remembering,  that  "  before  honor  is 
humility,"  and  that  "  blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit, 
for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  205 

Are  you  among  the  number  of  those  who  are 
thus  poor  in  spirit  ?  Do  you  know  what  it  is  to  feel 
truly  humble  in  the  sight  of  God  on  account  of 
your  great  unworthiness ;  that  you  have  sinned 
against  him  so  often,  and  so  much ;  and  that  you 
have  loved  and  served  him  so  little,  or,  perhaps,  not 
at  all  ? 

How  do  you  feel  and  conduct  toward  those 
around  you  ?  Do  you  feel  proud  of  your  appear- 
ance and  dress  ;  of  the  family  to  which  you  belong ; 
of  your  attainments  of  any  kind  ;  of  your  prospects 
in  life  ;  or  perhaps,  even  of  your  good  feelings  and 
conduct  ? 

Do  you  treat  others  with  unkindness  or  neglect, 
with  haughtiness  or  contempt?  Do  you  look  on 
any,  even  the  most  degraded  and  worthless,  as  be- 
neath your  notice  ? 

I  propose  these  inquiries,  that  you  may  look  back 
upon  your  past  conduct,  and  look  into  your  present 
thoughts  and  feelings,  and  see  whether  you  have 
any  true  humility  of  spirit. 

Without  such  humility  you  can  have  no  interest 
in  Jesus  Christ  and  his  salvation.  He  was  himself 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart ;  and  such  must  all  his 
followers  be. 

Had  he  not  humbled  himself,  and  been  willing  to 
leave  the  glories  of  his  heavenly  state,  and  lead  a 

L.  j.  18 


206  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

life  of  reproach,  and  die  a  death  of  ignominy,  what 
would  have  been  our  condition?  Lost,  undone, 
hopeless,  we  should  have  perished  in  our  sins  if 
this  Savior  had  not  humbled  himself  to  redeem  us 
from  sin  and  hell. 

And  shall  we  not  he  humbls;  ivc,  poor,  misera- 
ble sinners,  who  have  so  much  that  ought  to  make 
and  keep  us  humble  !  We  be  proud  and  haughty  ! 

What  are  we — what  have  we — to  be  proud  of! 


CHAPTER    XL. 

Joseph  had  general  benevolence  of  character. — This  grew 
out  of  his  faith  in  God. — The  reader  can  do  good  in  many 
ways. — Has  he  a  desire  to  do  good  1 — Does  this  desire  lead 
to  action. — Where  there  is  no  such  desire  and  conduct, 
there  is  great  guilt  and  danger. 

FROM  all  that  we  have  seen  of  the  character  of 
Joseph,  we  must  conclude  that  it  was  one  of  general 
benevolence. 

Faith  worketh  by  love.  In  other  words,  a  true 
faith  in  God  always  produces  in  the  heart  a  desire 
to  do  good  to  others  ;  and  this  desire  is  accompanied 
by  corresponding  conversation  and  conduct. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  207 

Such  was  the  faith  of  Joseph.  It  led  him  to  exer- 
cise good-will  toward  his  fellow  men,  and  to  en- 
deavor to  do  them  good. 

We  do  not  find  him  laying  plans  for  himself 
alone,  so  as  to  promote  his  own  ambitious  views. 
Throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  his  eleva- 
tion and  power  were  brought  about  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  not  by  his  own  seeking. 

The  general  esteem,  too,  in  which  he  appears  to 
have  been  held,  both  by  the  king  and  the  whole 
nation,  shows  the  kind  and  benevolent  character  of 
his  conduct.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  the  kindred  of 
Joseph  would  not  have  been  welcomed  so  cordially 
by  Pharaoh,  nor  such  striking  respect  been  shown 
to  Jacob  in  the  great  attendance  at  his  funeral. 

No  other  than  a  kind  and  benevolent  ruler  would 
have  received  such  marks  of  respect  and  attach- 
ment from  a  powerful  monarch  and  his  numerous 
subjects. 

To  endeavor  to  do  good  to  others;  this  should  be 
the  great  object  of  your  desires  and  your  efforts. 
Even  young  as  you  are,  there  are  many  ways  in 
which  you  can  do  this. 

How  often,  while  with  your  brothers  and  sisters 
and  companions,  you  can  say  something,  or  do 
something  in  a  kind  manner,  that  will  tend  to  make 
them  better  and  happier. 


208  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Are  there  no  poor  persons,  also,  in  your  neigh- 
borhood, to  whom  your  parents  or  friends  are  will- 
ing to  give  something  which  you  can  carry  to  them, 
and  thus  get  the  habit,  in  your  younger  days,  of  re- 
lieving the  wants  of  the  necessitous  ? 

Are  you.  not  old  enough  to  earn  something  by 
your  own  labor,  that  you  can  give  to  some  one  of 
the  benevolent  objects  in  which  good  people  are  en- 
gaged ? 

Have  you  not  opportunities  every  day  (while  you 
feel  for  the  souls  of  those  around  you,  and  pray  for 
them)  of  saying  something  to  them  that,  under  the 
blessing  of  God,  may  lead  them  to  the  Savior,  and 
to  imitate  his  example  ? 

Have  you  a  desire  thus  to  do  good  to  others  ?  If 
you  have,  I  rejoice  greatly,  and  pray  that  it  may 
increase,  and  that  you  may  live  to  have  such  bene- 
volent feelings  form  the  constant  state  of  your  soul, 
and  make  you  more  and  more  like  the  inhabitants 
of  heaven,  and  prepare  you  to  be  holy  and. happy 
with  them,  for  ever. 

But  remember,  that  if  you  truly  have  such  a  de- 
sire, it  will  manifest  itself  in  action — in  something 
that  you  say  and  do. 

If  you  are  saying  and  doing  nothing  to  make 
others  better  and  happier,  then  it  is  certain  that  you 
have  no  feelings  of  benevolence  toward  them. 


HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH.  209 

For  benevolent  feelings  will  lead  to  benevolent 
conduct  as  surely  as  a  good  fruit-tree  will  bear  good 
tiait,  or  a  pure  fountain  send  forth  pure  water. 

Have  you  no  such  benevolent  feelings?  Have 
you  no  desire  to  make  those  around  you  good  and 
happy  ?  Do  you  take  no  interest  in  the  welfare  of 
their  immortal  souls  ? 

Ah !  my  dear  children,  if  such  is  the  case  with 
any  of  you,  you  are  in  a  state  of  great  guilt  and 
danger. 

God  is  love.  He  is  perfectly  benevolent.  He  de- 
lights in  doing  good.  He  is  incessantly  doing  good. 

Jesus  Christ  is  perfectly  benevolent.  Think  of 
what  he  bas  done  and  suffered  to  make  you  and 
others  eternally  happy,  if  you  will  but  trust  in  him, 
and  imitate  his  blessed  example. 

The  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  perfectly  benevolent. 
They  delight  in  loving  and  serving  God ;  in  pro- 
moting the  holiness  and  happiness  of  all  around 
them,  and  in  executing  any  of  the  commands  of  God 
in  his  designs  of  benevolence  and  mercy. 

And  you  have  no  such  benevolent  feelings  !  You 
do  nothing  to  make  others  better  and  happier.  You 
think  only  of  yourself,  and  how  you  may  have  this 
and  the  other  means  of  enjoyment.  You  are  willing 
that  your  parents  and  friends  and  others  should  contri- 
bute to  your  happiness,  and  yet  you  regard  not  theirs, 


210  HISTORY    OF    JOSEPH. 

Does  not  this  show  that  you  are  very  selfish  and 
sinful  ?  How  can  God  look  on  you  but  with  displea- 
sure ?  How  can  he  receive  you  to  heaven,  unless 
there  is  a  great  change  in  your  feelings  and 
conduct  ? 

You  need  this  change,  so  that  love  to  God  and  love 
to  your  fellow-men  may  take  the  place  of  your  pre- 
sent selfish  feelings  and  conduct. 

But  there  will  be  no  such  change,  you  will  not 
even  begin  to  feel  and  act  right,  till  you  do  two  things; 
till  you  feel  truly  sorry  for  your  selfishness  and  sins, 
and  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  save  you  from 
all  sin.  Here  you  must  begin. 

Will  you  begin  now,  and  humbly  confess  your  sin- 
fulness  to  God,  and  look  to  Christ  for  salvation,  and 
pray  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  shed  down  upon  your 
soul,  that  thus  a  great  change,  may  take  place  in  it  ; 
a  change  from  sin  to  holiness ;  a  change  from  a  sel- 
fish regard  to  your  own  happiness,  to  an  ardent  love 
to  God  and  the  Savior,  and  a  desire  to  do  all  in  your 
power  to  make  others  good  and  happy  ? 


THE    END. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY — TEL.  NO.  642-3405 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


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